Judge — January 4, 1890 — page 9: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This cartoon depicts the transition between Old Year and New Year, a common Judge theme. An elderly, somewhat decrepit figure (the outgoing year) stands elevated, tossing down a globe or spherical object labeled "1890" toward a small, innocent child-like figure (the incoming new year) below. The dialogue—"little man, what have you brought us?" with the response mentioning "influen[za]"—references a contemporary health crisis. This appears to satirize how the new year arrives not with promise, but carrying disease or misfortune inherited from the previous year's problems. The caricatured style and exaggerated features were typical of Judge's satirical approach to current events. Without a precise date visible, the "influenza" reference suggests this likely comments on a specific flu outbreak affecting America during the 1890s.