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

What you’re looking at

# "A Man of Affairs" This Judge magazine page depicts a satirical scene titled "A Man of Affairs," credited to artist James Montgomery Flagg. The illustration shows three figures engaged in what appears to be a manicure or nail-care scene, with one man seated while others attend to his hands and nails. A dog is also present. The satire likely mocks a wealthy or influential man's excessive attention to personal grooming and appearance—suggesting vanity and concern with superficial matters rather than substantive affairs. The title's irony is key: a genuine "man of affairs" (someone handling important business) would be occupied with serious matters, not elaborate personal grooming. This was a common Judge magazine theme: ridiculing the frivolous preoccupations of the leisure class or specific public figures.