Judge — July 24, 1915 — page 16: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This illustration depicts a woman as a modern "siren"—a contemporary temptress. The accompanying verse compares mythological sirens (who lured sailors to their doom) with modern women who seduce men using charm and deception rather than supernatural powers. The satire's point: while ancient sirens are gone, modern women employ similar manipulative tactics ("beguiling plans," "fascinating eyes") to entrap men. The humor plays on the irony that these modern sirens "very seldom do they swim"—they're landlocked seductresses rather than actual mythological creatures. The illustration shows a fashionably dressed woman with an umbrella and headband, presented as an attractive but calculated temptress. This reflects early 20th-century anxieties about female sexuality and independence, portraying women's attractiveness as inherently deceptive. The satire targets what Judge's male audience likely viewed as female manipulation in courtship and romance.