Opening of the opera season - drilling the merry villagers / L.M. Glackens.

It wasn't really until the 1700s that caricature truly blossomed as a form of political criticism. In the late 1750s, a man named Thomas Townshend began using the techniques employed by earlier engravers and applying them towards a political model. This gave Thompson's cartoons a much greater feeling of propaganda than previous artistic critiques of the time. The intense political climate of the period, and often accusatory nature of most political cartoons forced many artists to use pseudonyms in order to avoid accusations of libel. Other artists took it a step farther, and left their cartoons completely unsigned, foregoing any credit they may have received. Political higher-ups were notoriously touchy about their reputations and were not afraid to make examples of offenders. Puck was the first successful humor magazine in the United States of colorful cartoons, caricatures and political satire of the issues of the day. It was published from 1871 until 1918.

William Howard Taft (September 15, 1857 – March 8, 1930) served as the 27th President of the United States (1909–1913) and as the 10th Chief Justice of the United States (1921–1930), the only person to have held both offices. Taft was elected president in 1908 and was defeated for re-election by Woodrow Wilson in 1912 after Roosevelt split the Republican vote by running as a third-party candidate. William Taft attended Yale and was a member of Skull and Bones secret society. In 1904, Roosevelt made him Secretary of War and he became Roosevelt's hand-picked successor. After leaving office, Taft returned to Yale as a professor, continuing his political activity and working against war through the League to Enforce Peace. In 1921, President Harding appointed Taft chief justice, an office he had long sought. "Don't write so that you can be understood, write so that you can't be misunderstood."

Glackens was born in Philadelphia in 1866 and studied at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. He began his career as a newspaper illustrator in Philadelphia before moving to New York City in 1896 to work for the New York Herald. In addition to his work in magazines and animation, Glackens was also an accomplished painter. He was a member of the Ashcan School, a group of artists who focused on depicting everyday life in urban areas. Glackens' paintings often depicted scenes of New York City, including its parks, beaches and street life. Glackens was also an art collector and played an important role in promoting the work of other artists. He was a friend and supporter of Henri Matisse and helped organise the groundbreaking Armory Show of 1913, which introduced American audiences to the work of European modernists. Glackens died in 1938 at the age of 68. His work continues to be celebrated for its humour, wit and unique perspective on American life.