Couples

Puck, at top center, manipulates an electric bow-shooting device, which sends arrows toward couples in the surrounding vignettes, where they are sitting beneath trees on the shores of a lake, riding bicycles, canoeing, swimming, boating, playing tennis and golf, and riding in a carriage. Caption: An electric arrow-shooting battery would beat the old-time bow, and […] the hearts of forty times as many victims, with neatness and despatch.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1896-08-19

A young man and a young woman kiss, and their reflection appears in the full moon in the background. Around them are “couples” of frogs, rabbits, birds, and mushrooms, and two trees as silhouettes of a young couple kissing. Stars form interconnected hearts in the night sky.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1910-06-01

A young man and a young woman sit at a table with dishes and a coffee or tea pot that is boiling over. The young woman has a look of uncertainty on her face and the young man tries to calm her by placing his hand on her arm.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1914-05-30

A well-dressed couple walks together on a windy day. Many wind-blown hats fill the air around them, yet they manage to keep theirs in place.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1914-03-07

A group of women colorfully dressed and with their hair in the latest fashions appear with a couple who distinguishes itself by wearing black and white clothing and conventional hairstyles. Caption: “Isn’t that Circe Smith the unconventional little thing! She’s come in her own hair!”

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1914-02-28

A steely-faced young man drives an automobile, looking straight ahead. A beautiful young woman snuggles next to him, looking up at him.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1915-01-02

A young couple stand in an embrace in a wooded area during autumn, with Cupid perched on a branch holding a cluster of red leaves over their heads. Caption: And yet how many there are who run by Cupid’s block-signal.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1913-10-08

A young man and a young woman stand in a gallery of family portraits. Caption: “Here, in this gallery, are portraits of some of my ancestors.” / “Humph! They evidently looked upon Eugenics as a joke!”

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1913-03-26

By the light of a full moon, many couples appear in romantic embraces around the globe; instances, perhaps, of summer love. Caption: The August moon — O, but they make me sick!

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1911-08-09

A man and a woman sit at a musical revue. The man is staring at a chorus girl who is temptingly standing in front of him. The man’s wife or girlfriend is looking at him with a concerned look on her face.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1911-03-01

Theodore Roosevelt writes his sister Anna that he is very happy, and describes how he and his new wife Alice Lee Roosevelt have been spending their honeymoon in Oyster Bay, New York. He says that they will be making a trip to New York City soon, but he needs to find somewhere to stable his horse.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1880-11-10

Cupids on horseback lasso attractive young couples and herd them toward the “Matrimonial Corral” in the background.

Comments and Context

Things were changing rapidly in American life during the years of Theodore Roosevelt’s presidency — in politics, economics and the financial world, inventions and innovations, and personal freedoms. In this last category, this cartoon reminds us that a brief 20 years earlier, such scenes would have been impossible or implausible.

Romance and flirtations are as old as human nature, but public displays of affection, especially the freedoms of the “Emancipated Women” of the day, increased with liberty and eased social taboos. Cartoonist Ehrhart depicts courtship of the day as only a cartoonist could — employing every possible cliche and stereotype of the humorists and commentators. Bold chaperones, disapproving chaperones, flirtatious young women, handsome beaux, old maids, sportsmen, cupids everywhere, all having innocent fun in the drawing, and leading to the matrimonial chapel in the background.