Judge — December 22, 1900 — page 4: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "Knives and Forks for the Use of Gentlemen of Rotund Proportions" This cartoon satirizes wealthy, overweight men through dining etiquette humor. The illustration shows a portly gentleman seated at a table with an attentive server, with exaggerated utensils implied to suit his substantial girth. The caption plays on the absurdity of providing specialized dining implements for men of "rotund proportions"—essentially mocking obesity among the wealthy class. The joke reflects Judge magazine's satirical tradition of lampooning wealthy Americans, particularly the self-indulgent rich. The humor relies on physical caricature combined with mock-serious observation about luxury goods and class pretension. The surrounding advertisements (Canadian Club whisky, diamonds, Evans Ale) further underscore the magazine's focus on upscale consumption and the foibles of affluent readers, who were likely the magazine's primary audience.