Judge, 1918-07-06 · page 3 of 36
Judge — July 6, 1918 — page 3: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This satire by Corporal L.M. Connolly critiques three artistic/cultural pursuits as questionable "art." Each section mocks a creative workshop: **Pictures**: Satirizes magazine cover art and illustration as shallow, derivative work ("born of a brain, long since conjugated / By opium, hemp and coke"). **Music**: Attacks modern jazz and popular music as derivative trash—"butchered and hacked with drags and vamps," copied from lesser sources rather than original composition. **Poetry**: Mocks soldier/military poetry as clichéd complaint-writing about hardships (Georgia heat, army drills, homesickness). All three conclude identically: "It's pretty; but is it Art?"—the cartoon's point being that commercial entertainment and amateur creative output, while aesthetically pleasing, lack genuine artistic merit.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Music Poetry The Conundrum of the Workshops (On account of the precedent established by ‘Omer. | ain't agoin’ to give Kipling credit for nothing.) By Corporat L. M. Coxnnouiy Illustrated by Cartes SarKa I. PICTURES ORN of a brain, long since congealed By opium, hemp and coke. Birthed of a raving mind that reeled From the fumes of the hop-joint smoke. A riot of colors and lines and shades, While the artist’s reason whirls; Impossible shapes and hues ar- rayed. The Magazine Cover Girls, Something we “‘never can under- stand,” Like a nightmare torn apart. We echo the devil behind our hand; “It’s pretty; but is it Art?” Il. MUSIC Heard at first in the levee camps; Swiped from a convict’s song. Butchered and hacked with drags and vamps; Served to the dance-mad throng. Heeding the call for “Novelty, please”; Shooing away dull care. From the Blasé Bunch of the Tango Teas; The modern Jazz-Band Air. Copped from the minstrel’s practice notes; Sold in the music mart. Who'll explain what the song de- notes: “Tr’s pretty; but is it Art?” Ill. POETRY Caused by the torrid Georgia sun, Blamed on the midnight dew, Concussion made by a 3-inch Traced to the “Hoover Ste’ Lack of rest from the daily gri Wishing that I were free, Army life on a feeble mind- I tender this to Thee! Hikes and drills in the drifting sand, Wearing away my heart, I hear you whisper behind your hand, “Te’s pretty; but is it Art?” comicbooks.com