Judge — March 22, 1924 — page 7: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This cartoon satirizes deceptive advertising practices. An umbrella manufacturer observes a storefront window display featuring an artistic painting titled "The Storm" (visible on the frame). The manufacturer suggests inserting an umbrella into the existing artwork to create an advertisement, exploiting the painting's dramatic appeal without paying for legitimate artistic promotion. The joke targets manufacturers' attempts to co-opt fine art for commercial gain—essentially hijacking an established artwork to sell products. The well-dressed businessmen contrasted with the lower-class figure observing the scheme suggests commentary on class dynamics and corporate opportunism. This reflects Progressive Era concerns about commercialism's encroachment on culture and art's commodification during the early twentieth century.