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President Roosevelt and Secretary of War William H. Taft, who holds a staff with the initials of “SPQR” to symbolize the ancient Roman government, are dressed in ancient Roman attire. Roosevelt offers “Supreme Court” crown to Taft, who pushes it away.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-10-20
A female figure holds out a crown labeled “The New Frisco,” fashioned after a city skyline. A bear sits on the ground next to her and, in the background, are 16th or 17th century sailing ships. The context of this cover cartoon is the destruction of San Francisco three weeks previous, and the city’s hopes for renewal.
This Hassmann cover, an elegant and sunny poster-like statement, was Puck‘s first response to the horrendous San Francisco earthquake of April 18, 1906, approximately three weeks earlier. Exigencies of planning, publishing, and distributing a weekly magazine with a cover date that was usually a week later than the printing sometimes led Puck to miss events related to daily headlines, or address them after the major components of the story.
A crown in the shape of a human skull appears against a background of blood dripping into the title area at the bottom.
Cartoonist Carl Hassmann, in his apocalyptic mode, again chose the dissolution of the corrupt and doomed Romanov dynasty, as it seemed in 1905. Czar Nicholas was indeed beset by intractable problems — crises inside his family and court, inside and outside his country, his military, his subjects, his economy, his once-servile satellite states, his standing in the world. Yet it would be a dozen years before his reign crashed around him in the 1917 Socialist, then Bolshevik, revolutions. The bloody 1905 revolution was merely a precursor.
Nicholas II, Emperor of Russia, sits on a throne, wearing a large skull topped with a cross as a crown. A Japanese man offers him papers labeled “Peace ‘with Honor’,” and a Jewish man, holding bags labeled “Jewish Loans,” stands in a palace doorway in the background. A basket overflowing with papers labeled “Jewish Petition [and] Protest against Kishineff Massacres” is on the floor. A paper on a desk states “Cost of War to Russia $1,042,500,000.”
The bleak twin situations of the St. Petersburg court are laid bare in this stark double-page cartoon by Joseph Keppler, Junior. Even before its disastrous war with Japan in the Far East, Czar Nicholas’s Russia was crumbling in virtually all ways possible. It was nearly bankrupt, losing control of its client states and border peoples, beset by protests from serfs and the bourgeoisie, facing assassination attempts and intrigues among underground Socialist, Communist, and Anarchist groups, and worldwide condemnation over Czarist suppression of religious and Jewish minorities.
Nicholas II, wearing crown and royal robe, draws the drapes over the window to shut out the sun labeled “Progress,” as three ghouls clutch at him from behind.
The “Emperor of All Russia,” Czar Nicholas II, in 1905 sustained a restive population, revolution in border states seeking independence, international condemnation for social and religious repression, palace intrigue, a disastrous war against Japan in the Far East, and a weak will that could not rebuke the waves.
A young boy in uniform and cap labeled “1905” sweeps an office clean of many papers labeled “Yellow Peril 1904, Broken Resolutions, Dave Hill ‘I was a Democrat’ 1904, [and] St. Louis Graft 1904” and a large crown labeled “Imperialism.” Some papers labeled “Tom Taggart, [and] Campaign Oratory 1904” are already in the wastebasket.
Frank Nankivell, Puck‘s Australian-born, Japanese-trained cartoonist, opened the new year of 1905 with traditional New Year Baby in a decidedly contemporary office-boy uniform, the model of efficiency, clearing the floors of old issues, old controversies, and old public figures.
President Roosevelt, wearing his Rough Rider uniform, looks at the style of hats worn by past presidents U.S. Grant, Abraham Lincoln, and George Washington, but the hat he likes best, atop a stand labeled “Imported Hat – All the Style in Europe,” is a crown labeled “Imperialism.”
Since many of President Roosevelt’s policies, from sound money to governmental reform, agreed with the editorial stance of Puck Magazine, the Democratic weekly had a dilemma in 1904 as it dutifully opposed the president’s re-election.
President Theodore Roosevelt crowns himself as emperor.
As the 1904 campaign commenced, with candidates chosen and party machines arming themselves, some traditional views and roles returned to the tumultuous political scene. It was the first relatively normal contest since at least 1896, when the sudden rise of the radical Populist Party shook the system; in 1900 the issues of war and “imperialism” asserted themselves; and the subsequent assassination of President McKinley dominated the news. Theodore Roosevelt’s administration was a constant swirl — the popular president sued the trusts, forcefully acted to acquire rights for a Panama Canal. Roosevelt also starred on the world stage in another role: as peacemaker between Russia and Japan.
William Jennings Bryan, holding a pitcher labeled “The Commoner,” pours water labeled “Editorials” into a paper crown labeled “McKinley’s Crown,” which is filled with holes and leaking water everywhere. The caption reads, “The Bryan Crown — It Won’t Hold Water.”
In the year this cartoon was drawn, William Jennings Bryan, having lost two successive presidential campaigns, and with his anti-Imperialist views roundly rejected by Americans, retreated to two major pursuits: speeches on the Chautauqua circuit and launching a magazine that would keep his views before the public. The Commoner started publication in 1901, from Bryan’s home base of Nebraska, with the assistance of his brother Charles, later a governor of Nebraska and a vice-presidential candidate. The magazine, which was dismissed by Keppler in this Puck cover cartoon, had a healthy circulation for two decades.
Illustration shows Edward VII, King of Great Britain, full-length portrait, standing, facing front, with an insert showing “(Caricature of Louis XIV, by Thackeray) ‘You see at once that majesty is made out of the wig, the high-heeled shoes and cloak, all fleurs-de-lis bespangled….Thus do barbers and cobblers make the gods that we worship.’ –Thackeray.”
Generally, cartoonists around the world were not too kind to the son of the late Queen Victoria, Edward VII. He largely was depicted as a wastrel and playboy. Because of Victoria’s long life and reign, he was destined to be king for less than a decade. Keppler’s caricature, although gentler than the famous portrait of Edward from the rear, pants down, in the French journal L’Assiette au Beure, nevertheless depicts him as vacuous, and reminded (by the old Thackeray cartoon) that even in the case of kings, the clothes make the man.
Postcard showing several crowns, scepters, and highly embellished cups and vessels arranged inside a caged cabinet. Some items have labels next to them. Charles C. Myers identifies the items as the Crown Jewels of England and comments on their monetary value.
In Charles C. Myers’s own words, “In one of the buildings of this group, called the Record Tower, is kept all the early records of England and also the Crown Jewels. Here you see a picture of the Crown Jewels which is the most magnificent as well as the most valuable collection of jewels in the world. It includes St. Edwards Crown adorned with 2800 diamonds and 300 pearls; Queen of Consort Crown, St. Edwards Staff, Royal Cepter [sic], Ivory Cepter [sic], Salt Cellars, Wine Fountain, Drinking Cups, and many other articles all of solid gold set with diamonds, pearls and rubies and other stones. The entire collection is valued at About 15 million dollars. This collection is enclosed in a circular glass case about 10 ft in diameter. It is a beautiful display and one worth while going a long way to see.”
President Roosevelt wears a “Panama Canal” crown that has the label of “the greatest achievement for trade in modern times.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-06-04
A large crown sits perched atop a building with women holding various shields, including “Panama Canal,” “rate bill,” “prosecution of criminal trusts,” “regeneration of the Philippines.” At the top of the crown is a woman holding “conservation of natural resources” and “development of water ways.”
A group of women in a gallery “Reserved for American Wives of English Lords” hold strings attached to crowns on the heads of their husbands in the House of Lords. Caption: A sure guarantee of peace between America and England.
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
1895-12-18
Theodore Roosevelt as a baby, in the arms of Columbia who has lifted him from his golden cradle. The infant reaches out to receive a crown, a dagger, and a cowboy hat from three women in classical attire. Observing the scene from behind Columbia are Uncle Sam in the guise of the god Zeus and an eagle dressed in Roman armor. In the distance the dome of the United States Capitol building is seen against a rising sun.
Another cartoon in the series in Life Magazine, The Teddysey, depicting Roosevelt’s life and career via mythological allusions. The series later was collected in book form.
Pope Leo XIII holds out his robe labeled “Catholicism” and bows to Columbia who politely returns the bow and declines the offer to shelter under his robe. Behind Leo XIII is “St. Peters” at the “Vatican” and behind Columbia are buildings labeled “Public School” and “School.” Caption: His Holiness–Dear Miss Columbia, won’t you come under my robe? – you’ll be so much more comfortable! – for further particulars, see my late encyclical. / Miss Columbia–Much obliged, Pop; but I’m doing very well as I am!
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
1895-02-13
William McKinley, at the Republican National Convention, wears a royal robe and places a crown labeled “Nomination” and listing the states “Mass., Texas, Maryland, Illinois, Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania, Cal. [and] Va.” on his head. Charles H. Grosvenor and Mark A. Hanna are near him as high priests, and Herman H. Kohlsaat is a court page holding his robe. Paying their respects, on the right, are Thomas Collier Platt, William B. Allison, Matthew S. Quay, Thomas B. Reed, Shelby M. Cullom, and Levi P. Morton. A small portion of the convention hall is visible in the background.
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
1896-06-24
William II, the German Emperor, wearing a robe and a large sword, and holding a crown and a scepter, looks puzzled over why these symbols of authority no longer command the respect he thinks they deserve. Caption: Medieval Wilhelm–‘T is passing strange! – here are all the attributes of me kingly power; – me crown, me sceptre, and me royal robe – but the people won’t revere them as of yore. By my halidome! – is Divine Right played out?
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
1895-06-05
German emperor William II, wearing a two-tiered tiara, is welcomed by throngs of Arab Muslims who carry a banner that proclaims “Allah is Great, and William His Prophet.” Across a narrow body of water, Pope Leo XIII, wearing the papal tiara, sits on St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican.
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
1898-11-16
Charles Parnell wears a tiara and sits on a throne, with many Irishmen bowing before him and placing bags of money into a container labeled “Parnell Fund.” On a table next to him are papers labeled “Remission of Rents” and “Assassination Absolution.” Sitting on a throne on the left, unattended by anyone, is Pope Leo XIII wearing the papal tiara and looking on with dismay. At his feet, on the left, is a basket of papers labeled “Indulgence” and “Absolution,” and, on the right, a container labeled “Peter’s Pence” that appears to have been broken into and emptied.
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
1883-06-06