Judge, 1884-08-09 · page 6 of 16
Judge — August 9, 1884 — page 6: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page satirizes the social pretensions of wealthy Americans seeking status through European travel and culture. The central caricature—a bald, grotesque figure on his knees—depicts an artist visiting Staten Island for summer who receives a "house-warming" from local residents, depicted as exaggerated Native Americans or working-class "natives." The satire mocks the artist's desperation for social acceptance and the absurdity of treating modest locals as exotic hosts worthy of elaborate ceremony. The sign reading "LEAVE HOPE BEHIND WHO ENTER HERE" inverts Dante's famous inscription, suggesting the artist's pretensions are futile. The accompanying story text (partially legible) appears to recount anecdotes about overly formal social rituals among the wealthy—focusing on an grandmother's obsessive ceremonial behavior around marriage and propriety. Together, the cartoon and text ridicule American upper-class affectation, excessive formality, and the hunger for cultural validation through travel and social performance.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
i HH i a h AN ARTIST GOES TO STATEN y her old will nd waitin or ents drawn 4 and divorce an amendment in the marr laws, but at lust he persua aday for the ceremony did not live to fulfil her y Haughton never bee: During her engag most particular should be en regle and done with proper ceremony. I remem- ber one day, shortly after their solemn be- trothal, grandma gave orders that w be denied to all visitors. After lunch for John and desired that the foldin, which divided the two sitti , should be closed. As this was very un- usual, Aunt Prissy ventured to ask an ex- planation. ey votre tongue,” said grandma d her to name | J ISLAND FOR THE SUMMER AND THE FLATTERED NATIVES GIVE HIM A HOUSE-WARMING. andma, 4 we—has . When My 1, 1 do not mind telling you «| to embrace my future | M. to-d: nter for us both to do y ranged to have t door shut.” Don’t do so, but he d I muttered, ina voice that my laughter fortunately made ate, dma was vers and retired at once to wait foi The cere- mony did not occupy more than twenty minutes, for we were out driving at 3 P.M. Mr. iton began to call my grandma “Annabe and she 1 him ** a She ordered her weddii ress from 13 it will be >in privacy, 1 Benind Wxo GER HERE -—¢ vw ——4 and he gave her a betrothal ri ing for couples, sting only im mas lot—one alloy in her full cap of bliss. She could not remember her maiden name, and no one would tell her, when she mar- ried him. Bat her memory had slightly failed, and Aunt Prissy only angry when she tried to explain away trouble. Poor perplexed grandmaevery hour > comicbooks.com