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Primary sourcePainting27 February 1901

Puck Cartoon of Rockefeller as a Crowned King on an Oil Tank

J. S. Pughe · 27 February 1901

A satirical 1901 cartoon from Puck magazine depicting Rockefeller as a crowned monarch of monopoly, standing on a Standard Oil tank.

A satirical cartoon depicting Rockefeller as a crowned monopolist, reflecting public criticism of his business empire.

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Colored Puck magazine cartoon of John D. Rockefeller with a large head, glaring, wearing a crown made of oil tanks and trains and a robe decorated with dollar signs. He stands on a barrel labeled Standard Oil, with oil derricks in the background.
J. S. Pughe, Puck magazine cartoon of John D. Rockefeller, 27 February 1901.

About this source

What it is

This is a colored cartoon published in Puck magazine on February 27, 1901, drawn by J. S. Pughe. It shows John D. Rockefeller wearing a large crown and robe, standing on a storage tank labeled "Standard Oil." The crown is decorated with railroad cars, oil tanks, and the names of four railroad companies, topped with a dollar sign.

Why it matters

This cartoon reflects public criticism of Rockefeller and Standard Oil at the height of their power, portraying him as a monopolist ruling over oil and railroads. It shows how political cartoonists used satire to comment on concentrated wealth and corporate power during this era.

Look closer

  • What symbols does the artist use to suggest Rockefeller's power and wealth?
  • Why might the artist have chosen to depict him as a king?
  • What point of view does this cartoon take, and how might that shape what it shows or leaves out?

This painting is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of John D. Rockefeller on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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