High Jumping, from the Games and Sports series (N165) for Old Judge Cigarettes

Art Historical Context

Step into the vibrant world of 19th-century American advertising with *High Jumping, from the Games and Sports series (N165) for Old Judge Cigarettes*, produced by Goodwin & Company in 1889. This petite commercial color lithograph, measuring just 1 1/2 x 2 3/4 inches, captures the dynamic thrill of high jumping, featuring both male and female athletes mid-leap. Issued as collectible trade cards tucked inside cigarette packs, it was part of a popular series celebrating athletic prowess during an era when organized sports were exploding in popularity. Chromolithography, the medium's hallmark technique, allowed for vivid, mass-produced colors that made these ephemera irresistible to collectors. Goodwin & Company, a leading tobacco firm, leveraged this to promote Old Judge Cigarettes, blending promotion with the era's fascination for physical fitness and emerging women's participation in sports. Such cards democratized art, turning everyday purchases into treasures. Today, housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department as part of The Jefferson R. Burdick Collection, this piece highlights how commercial prints preserved snapshots of cultural shifts—from leisure to gender roles in athletics—offering a playful glimpse into Gilded Age pastimes.

About the Artist

Goodwin & Company · 1850–1950

**Goodwin & Company (ca. 1850–1950)** Goodwin & Company, originally established as E. Goodwin and Brother before the American Civil War, emerged as a prominent New York City-based tobacco manufacturer in the mid-19th century. Operating from the bustling heart of Manhattan, the firm built its reputation on popular cigarette brands such as Gypsy Queen and, most notably, Old Judge, which became syno...