In this 1884 Puck cover, artist Bernhard Gillam ridicules political posturing through a would-be statesman styled as a Don Quixote–like wandering knight. Mounted on horseback and draped in banners of empty “issues,” he charges forward on spectacle alone, while his page staggers behind beneath the weight of slogans and props.
The cartoon reduces politics to performance. Substance gives way to display, and ambition is armored with noise rather than ideas. Through exaggerated costume and mock-heroic pose, Puck exposes how Gilded Age politics often rewarded theatrics over responsibility—a joke that still lands.
Casewrap sewn binding | Vibrant, crisp vintage tones | Ruled | 5x7 in.
Add two journals to your cart to receive an automatic bundle discount.
In this 1884 Puck cover, artist Bernhard Gillam ridicules political posturing through a would-be statesman styled as a Don Quixote–like wandering knight. Mounted on horseback and draped in banners of empty “issues,” he charges forward on spectacle alone, while his page staggers behind beneath the weight of slogans and props.
The cartoon reduces politics to performance. Substance gives way to display, and ambition is armored with noise rather than ideas. Through exaggerated costume and mock-heroic pose, Puck exposes how Gilded Age politics often rewarded theatrics over responsibility—a joke that still lands.
Casewrap sewn binding | Vibrant, crisp vintage tones | Ruled | 5x7 in.
Add two journals to your cart to receive an automatic bundle discount.
