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Primary sourcePainting3 May 1905

The Gospel According to St. John

Udo Keppler · 3 May 1905

A 1905 Puck cover cartoon by Udo Keppler satirizes Rockefeller's philanthropy by portraying him as a false saint.

Rockefeller is satirized here as a false saint using religion to mask his business practices.

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Scan of a Puck magazine cover, May 3, 1905, with the cartoon 'The Gospel According to St. John.' A bald, stooped man in a dark suit and yellow halo holds a moneybag labeled 'Foreign Missions' and rests his hand on a Bible. Standard Oil Mill Stone is labeled beneath him.
Udo Keppler, The Gospel According to St. John, Puck, 3 May 1905.

About this source

What it is

This is a colored cartoon that appeared on the cover of Puck magazine on 3 May 1905, created by cartoonist Udo Keppler. It shows a bald, stooped man with a halo, holding a moneybag labeled "Foreign Missions" while resting a hand on a Bible, with a "Standard Oil Mill Stone" labeled beneath him.

Why it matters

The cartoon criticizes Rockefeller's religious giving as hypocritical, suggesting his charitable donations were meant to cover up the harsh business practices of Standard Oil. It reveals how some Americans viewed wealthy industrialists' philanthropy with suspicion during this era. The cartoon also includes racist caricatures of children, a reminder that period satire often relied on harmful stereotypes.

Look closer

  • Why might the artist give Rockefeller a halo while also showing a millstone labeled Standard Oil?
  • What does the title "Gospel According to St. John" suggest about how the artist viewed Rockefeller's religious image?
  • Why is it important to notice and name harmful stereotypes when studying historical cartoons like this one?

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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