Judge, 1915-02-27 · page 11 of 24
Judge — February 27, 1915 — page 11: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This satirical dialogue depicts a sculptor named Gundan and his wife Thais discussing the compromises of married life. The satire targets the tension between artistic pursuits and domestic responsibility. Gundan argues that his wife's greatest ambition should be maintaining his health through cooking—which keeps him mentally sound for his art. He justifies taking other female models (including presumably more attractive ones) as artistically necessary. Thais, initially patient, grows visibly angry when he suggests she's no longer an adequate model due to aging. The cartoon mocks the self-serving rationalization men use to justify infidelity: framing it as "artistic necessity" while simultaneously praising their wives' domestic improvements. It satirizes how male artists claimed their work required multiple female subjects, and how marriage was reduced—from the husband's perspective—to cooking and household management rather than genuine partnership. The piece critiques both artistic pretension and marital hypocrisy in early-20th-century relationships.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
LDRON OWE SHALL not quarrel, of course. That is a barbarism. A survival from the age of the club. A suggestion of re- version to cave habit. We've got beyond that, I hope, Thais, you and I," said Gundan. “Yes. Yet we may have a difference of opinion, may we not?"* The sculptor’s wife looked up with a smile. “Of course. But we can't mix matrimony and art, my dear." **But we used to mix matrimony and art. “In a way, yes. Art has its elementals, as life has. We were younger. We were subjects of an enthusiasm which never survives years and experience."* “But should not enthusiasm always be present in art?"* “Of a certain sort, yes. But our enthusiasm was'’ Just love, eh?" “Based upon that. What were we—you and I—that we should have been staid and sober during a honeymoon?"’ “During our honeymoon. And what are we, you mean, that we should still be as foolish as we were then!" “Essentially that. We are older. We have improved—both ofus. I am a better artist." “And [am a better cook !"" “Ah!"* said Gundan, putting a fresh match to his pipe, ‘Show much better! In your function you have improved more notably than I have!" “In one of my functions, you mean, dear.’ “Yes. Your chief function. For what greater ambition could a woman have—a married woman who loves her mate, as I assume you love me’'— — “Have you ever doubted it? “If I had, you would have known, As I say, what greater ambition could you have than to keep my stomach—and thus my mentality—sane? If you had not greatly improved as a cook, I should now be a dyspeptic, if I had not’’—— “Which would have been fatal to your art.'" “Yes. But I was about to add something. And not being mentally responsible or emotionally sound, I might have looked about for another wife.'" Thais started, and her smile vanished. ‘‘And yet you have had more than one other model since I''—— “*Since our honeymoon? Why not?'’ **But I could have found time from domestic duty." ‘Ignoring certain other facts, don’t you know, my dear, that inspiration from more than one figure, from more than art gains one landscape?’ **Did you ever have a handsomer model than I was when I stood for your Psyche?"* ‘None so handsome. Believe me. But’’—— **Coming back to one of the other facts which you ignored: I am no longer a proper figure to pose as Psyche. I presume that is what you were about to say in your artistic candor. I must comicbooks.com