Judge — June 8, 1912 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "Looking Backward" - Judge, June 8, 1912 This cartoon illustrates the title "Looking Backward," likely referencing Edward Bellamy's famous 1888 utopian novel of that name. The image depicts an ancient Egyptian scene with two figures in traditional Egyptian dress. A winged deity or spirit hovers above, while below, a woman in Egyptian garb stands in a temple doorway observing another elaborately dressed Egyptian figure. The satire appears to comment on comparing ancient civilizations to contemporary American society—a common trope in Judge's satirical commentary. The specific political or social message is unclear without additional context, but it likely critiques either nostalgia for "simpler times" or contemporary American pretensions by contrasting them with ancient Egypt's grandeur. The precise satirical target remains uncertain from the image alone.