Judge — April 5, 1913 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This illustration depicts an Egyptian sphinx alongside a contemplative modern woman. The caption "MYSTERIES" suggests a comparison between ancient enigmas and modern female psychology—a common satirical theme of the era. The 1913 dating is significant: this reflects Progressive Era anxieties about women's changing roles, particularly as suffrage movements gained momentum. The "mystery" of what women wanted or thought was a frequent subject of contemporary humor. The woman's pose—hand to chin, gazing upward—suggests she's contemplating something unknowable, mirroring the sphinx's famous enigmatic quality. This visual pun mocks the period's male perception that female consciousness remained fundamentally inscrutable and puzzling, despite (or because of) women's increasing public activism and political demands.