Judge — February 15, 1890 — page 9: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This satirical cartoon depicts two figures in military regalia competing for leadership of a naval "band." The larger figure on the left, adorned with elaborate decorative insignia and holding a mallet, appears to be a high-ranking naval officer or politician. The smaller, more grotesque figure on the right wields a conductor's baton, suggesting a rival claimant to authority. The caption—"Now, who leads this band, anyhow?"—indicates a power struggle or disputed leadership. Without additional context indicating the specific date or figures involved, it likely satirizes a contemporary naval or political dispute over command authority. The exaggerated costumes and caricatured style emphasize the absurdity of the rivalry, typical of Judge magazine's approach to mocking institutional conflicts and ego-driven competition.