Judge, 1901-03-23 · page 5 of 16
Judge — March 23, 1901 — page 5: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This cartoon satirizes an actor named Mansfield, likely Richard Mansfield, a prominent late-19th-century performer. The joke hinges on a double meaning: Smith asks Brown if he's seen Mansfield perform in "Richard I.I" (likely "Richard II" or "Richard III"), but Brown's reply suggests Mansfield *is* Richard I.I in real life—that his theatrical persona is inseparable from his actual personality. The illustration shows a mermaid-like figure (representing Mansfield's theatrical artifice or affectation) with two formally-dressed men observing. The satire mocks the actor for being unable to separate his theatrical mannerisms from his everyday behavior, implying his "personality" is entirely constructed performance rather than authentic character.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
HIS PERSONALITY. SmrTH—"* Have you seen Mansfield in ‘ Richard 1.2” Browx—* Why—er—I never saw him as anything else—off the stage.”