Judge — September 28, 1895 — page 9: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page shows an artist's studio being invaded by political candidates who sketch caricatures of each other. The central figure appears to be an artist or illustrator confronted by exaggerated caricatured portraits of what are likely political rivals or candidates from the period. The satire critiques how political opponents create unflattering, distorted depictions of each other—literally "sketching their conceptions." The various sketches shown represent biased, hostile interpretations rather than accurate portrayals. One portrait references "Rip Van Winkle" (visible text), suggesting someone is out of touch or sleeping through events. The joke mocks the mud-slinging nature of political campaigns, where candidates deliberately circulate the worst possible caricatures of their opponents to damage their reputations. The intrusion into the artist's studio represents how pervasive and invasive this practice had become in political discourse.