The New Yorker's Million Follower Instagram Caption Contest

How do you celebrate reaching one million followers on Instagram? Well, that isn't a situation too many of us have to reckon with, but the New Yorker marked the milestone by holding—what else?—a caption contest. I don't spend very much time on Instagram, but I stopped by just long enough to enter a caption of my own. This caption demonstrates a lot of the chronic problems I have in these contests: it's way too literal, it's mildly obscure, it's a little too long and inelegant. And I suppose it could be funnier. The drawing is by Benjamin Schwartz.

"Can you believe it? Moses already has his Passover card!"

https://www.instagram.com/p/BKtdj8ZgGSp/?mbid=social_twitter

Congratulations to @jasoneight, whose winning caption is:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BK1uJdtjagh/?taken-by=newyorkermag

Note:  Well, there you have it. I'll try to get back on Instagram in time for the next caption contest. In the meantime I have seventy-seven followers there on my largely dormant account, not quite enough to contemplate holding a caption contest of my own.


Attempted Bloggery's quick links:

Benjamin Schwartz

Cartoon Caption Contests

Moses

Follow me on Instagram

Attempted Bloggery's Index of Biblical Proportions

01989

Arthur Szyk's Haggadah

Arthur Szyk's Haggadah was published in 1939. Swann Galleries lot description calls it "the artist's best-known work and the most celebrated modern illustrated Haggadah." The limited edition is highly sought-after. This is number 41/125 and it sold for $38,000 in 2010.

Arthur Szyk, The Haggadah, Matzoh and Maror (Bitter Herbs), 1939

Arthur Szyk, The Haggadah, Edited by Cecil Roth, Fine Binding, 1939

Arthur Szyk, The Haggadah, Signed Limitation Page, 1939
Signatures of artist Arthur Szyk and editor  Cecil Roth

"At the Feet of Your Most Gracious Majesty, I humbly lay these works of my hands,
shelving forth the Afflictions of my People Israel.
arthur szyk, illuminator: of Poland"
Arthur Szyk, The Haggadah, 1939

Hodu L'Adonai Ki-Tov / Ki L'Olam Chasdo
Give thanks to the Lord for He is good / For his mercy endureth forever
Arthur Szyk, The Haggadah, 1939

http://catalogue.swanngalleries.com/asp/fullCatalogue.asp?salelot=2225+++++315+&refno=++636191&saletype=

0665

A German Silver Seder Plate, Early 20th Century

No provenance is given for this German Seder plate from the early twentieth century, and most likely it is unknown how this item spent the first century of its existence.

A German Silver Seder Plate, Early 20th Century

http://www.sothebys.com/en/catalogues/ecatalogue.html/2011/important-judaica-n08814#/r=/en/ecat.fhtml.N08814.html+r.m=/en/ecat.lot.N08814.html/27/

A German Silver Seder Plate, Early 20th Century

http://www.sothebys.com/en/catalogues/ecatalogue.html/2011/important-judaica-n08814#/r=/en/ecat.fhtml.N08814.html+r.m=/en/ecat.lot.N08814.html/27/

290

The Amsterdam Haggadah of 1695

This Haggadah was printed by the Amsterdam Jewish community. Haggadot are used for celebrating the Passover Seder and this illustrated edition has been highly influential over the centuries.  It dates from 1695, or about 240 years after the first Gutenberg Bible.

                 

   

http://www.sothebys.com/en/catalogues/ecatalogue.html/2011/important-judaica-n08814#/r=/en/ecat.fhtml.N08814.html+r.m=/en/ecat.lot.N08814.html/86/

289

The First Passover Feast by Huybrecht Beuckelaer, 1563

This painting by Huybrecht Beuckelaer from 1563 is an early depiction of a biblical scene from Exodus 12. It is not meant to show a contemporary 16th century Passover Seder.

  

http://www.sothebys.com/en/catalogues/ecatalogue.html/2012/important-old-master-paintings-n08825#/r=/en/ecat.fhtml.N08825.html+r.m=/en/ecat.lot.N08825.html/105/

288