Judge — July 12, 1924 — page 23: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is a humorous illustration depicting Henry Ford (identifiable by the early automobile he's driving) in a chariot race against Ben Hur, the legendary Roman character. The image appears to be satirizing Ford's prominence and modern industrial success by comically placing him in a classical historical scenario. The joke likely plays on contrasting Ford's contemporary mass-production automobile technology with ancient Roman chariot racing—suggesting Ford's modern innovations are so impressive they could compete with historical legend. The crowds watching from above appear amused by this anachronistic clash of eras. The "Scrambled History" series format suggests Judge magazine regularly reimagined historical events with contemporary figures inserted for comedic effect. This capitalizes on Ford's celebrity status in the 1920s-30s as America's most famous industrialist.