Judge — April 16, 1921 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis of Judge Magazine Cover (April 16, 1921) This satirical cover illustrates the caption "It's a Wise Rooster that knows his own Chick." The image shows a baby in checkered clothing sitting in a chair, holding a toy automobile and appearing delighted, while a large rooster stands beside the chair gesturing protectively or possessively toward the child. The joke plays on the phrase "knowing one's own chick" (offspring), suggesting paternity uncertainty. The rooster's presence implies questions about the child's actual parentage—a common satirical theme about infidelity or illegitimacy in early 20th-century humor. The proverb format adds irony, suggesting that determining true paternity requires unusual wisdom. The artwork is credited to Ethel Knox Foote.