Judge — July 5, 1890 — page 16: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This Judge magazine page presents a satirical photo series titled "Showing how some people would appear if photographed unawares." The central image shows a woman in an exaggerated pose, surrounded by smaller cartoon vignettes depicting various social types caught in candid moments. The surrounding sketches appear to mock different character types and social behaviors of the era—likely including domestic scenes, workplace situations, and social embarrassments. The "Howling Prohibitionist" reference in the text suggests commentary on alcohol prohibition enforcement and its advocates, mocking how people behave when they think they're unobserved. The humor relies on the contrast between public propriety and private behavior, a common satirical theme in early-20th-century Judge magazine. The exaggerated caricatures and "flash-light" conceit (early photography) allow the artist to ridicule hypocritical social types.