Puck Christmas 1898

Harrison Fisher created this chromolithograph print for the cover of Puck Magazine, a satirical publication, likely in the early 1900s. The image presents a fashionable woman reclining in an opulent, orientalist interior, while a cherubic figure, reminiscent of Cupid, prepares to photograph her. It is full of visual codes characteristic of its time. The cover invokes themes of romance, technology, and consumerism prevalent in the American cultural landscape at the turn of the century. Satirical magazines like Puck played a crucial role in shaping public opinion and reflecting social trends. In a period marked by rapid industrialization and urbanization, the image of a middle class woman engaging with new technologies mirrors the changing dynamics of gender, class, and consumer culture. Through close attention to the historical context and examination of sources such as periodicals, advertisements, and cultural ephemera, we can better understand the complex interplay between art, society, and the institutions that shape our understanding of the world.