Judge, 1902-06-14 · page 5 of 16
Judge — June 14, 1902 — page 5: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a portrait illustration by James Montgomery Flagg from Judge's "Gallery of Fair Women" series. Rather than political satire, it's a romantic/humorous verse accompanying an idealized portrait drawing of a woman in profile. The accompanying poem uses extended fruit metaphor—comparing a desired woman to a "peach" that the speaker wishes would "fall" into his hands. The humor is in the overwrought romantic language and the final pun: he wants to preserve her "hermetically canned" (sealed and preserved), suggesting he wants to possess and keep her permanently. This reflects early 1900s attitudes toward women as objects of romantic pursuit. Flagg was known for such society illustration work. The piece is sentimental rather than satirical—typical of Judge's lighter content featuring attractive women alongside coy, flowery verses.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
JAMES MONTGOMERY FLAGG } Ss oF COPYMGHT, 1902, BY 1VOGE COMPANY OF NEW YORK A GARDEN FANCY. She is the fairest, rarest peach upon Love's shining tree. Ah, would that it might be her fate to be blown down to me! And not up there to smile and be beyond my fondest reach— A peach whose peachy peachiness dims any other peach, But kindly fall and kindly light upon my waiting hand, And be forever in my heart hermetically canned. NO. S— JUDGE'S GALLERY OF FAIR WOMEN. comicbooks.com