Judge, 1906-09-22 · page 16 of 16
Judge — September 22, 1906 — page 16: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a satirical comic strip mocking an American philistine visiting the prestigious Paris Salon art exhibition. "Nervy Nat" is an uncultured buffoon who pretends to appreciate fine art while actually understanding nothing about it—he uses pretentious nonsense phrases ("thingum," "cheer-up-obscuro") to sound knowledgeable. The humor escalates through increasingly absurd behavior: he nearly jumps out a window chasing ducks, accidentally enters a private studio, mistakes an artist's work for nature, and embarrassingly offers his name as a reference. The French characters respond with patient condescension to his crude American antics. The satire targets American tourists' cultural pretensions and ignorance, as well as the pomposity of the art world itself. "Judge" magazine frequently ridiculed both American social climbers and European affectation in the early 20th century.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
-~ ~T, Nervy Nat—" They tell me there are one or two ripping things of Gaston La Touche and a peach of Bésnard's here this year. It {s certainly a bromide remark, but | simply adore art! | will sift in here and look wise.” 3. Nenvy Nat—" Sacred tadpoles! Here's a pond right out this window. I never have missed a duck in a temperance lake, and I don't mean to now. Me fora splash and darn my good clothes. 1 ‘li peel off the coat and the kicks and "— 5. Sercent Capte—" Sacré lily-pads! voulez-you le salon put on re blink ~ yes?" Nervy Nar—‘* Nix on the conversation, Willie. nearest dope depot and fetch me a dipperful of acetanalid. of my nervous congestive headaches on the horizon!" Hustle out to the I've sighted one By Jove! that is charming. Such er—whatcher call it —and what cheer-up-obscuro. Look at the handling of the—er—thingum. . Perhaps the values shriek a bit at the—er—cool tones, but the mass- ing of the—er—hi But on the level, is It a picnic in Jones's Wood or the rush-hour on the * . 4. Nervy Nat—" J. Robinson Prendergast! Stung! | ve butted into a masterpiece. Well. this is positively my last appearance in an art gallery. It's the low-brows for mine hereafter. As for art and kindred maladies, cut it out!" 6. M. Banc p'ArceNT—"' Monsieu’, sank you mille fois for ze compll- ment extraordinaire. You took my painting for nature itself. One sou- zand sanks!"" Nervy Nat—"' Don't mention it, I pray. If it will help you in any way. you are welcome to use my name to any extent!” NERVY NAT DROPS INTO THE PARIS SALON. onrmenT M08 WY JUDGE COMPANY PUBLIBNERS, 798 FOURTH AVE., KEW voRR. . Address \WGk COMPANY comicbooks.com