John Dunlop, Harvard University, from the College Football Stars series (N302) for Mayo's Cut Plug Tobacco
Medium
Commercial lithograph
Dimensions
Sheet: 2 13/16 × 1 5/8 in. (7.2 × 4.2 cm)
Classification
Prints|Ephemera
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Jefferson R. Burdick Collection, Gift of Jefferson R. Burdick
Accession Number
63.350.222.302.33
Tags
Art Historical Context
Step into the vibrant world of 1890s American sports culture with this petite commercial lithograph, *John Dunlop, Harvard*, from the College Football Stars series (N) issued by P.H. Mayo & Brother of Richmond, Virginia. Produced in 1894, this 2 13/16 × 1 5/8-inch card captures the dashing portrait of Harvard's star football player, exemplifying the era's growing obsession with college athletics. Tobacco companies like Mayo's cleverly distributed these inserts in their Cut Plug Tobacco packages, turning everyday smokers into collectors of gridiron heroes. Lithography, the medium here, allowed...