Judge — November 27, 1886 — page 16: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This satirical cartoon mocks struggling young artists seeking recognition. The sequence shows an aspiring artist repeatedly pestering established judges and art patrons with portfolios ("Born Penniless," "Original"). The narrative progresses through rejection: judges dismiss the work at their door; a mother advocates for her "young and talented son"; the artist receives a polite refusal ("No Chestnuts Allowed"); eventually descending into desperation—literally fighting over "Fresh Fish" and other street goods, suggesting he's been reduced to common labor. The satire targets both the delusional persistence of untalented aspirants and perhaps the gatekeeping indifference of the art establishment. The title characterizes such ambitious but unsuccessful artists as a public "nuisance"—suggesting widespread frustration with persistent artistic hopefuls in urban society.