Judge — April 19, 1919 — page 10: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is a detailed satirical illustration by John Gasclee titled "The Bingtowm Symphony Orchestra is Welcomed by the Yapp's Crossing Close Harmony Society." The cartoon depicts a bustling street scene in a small town, crowded with townspeople, children, and various establishments labeled with business names (Sousa's Brass Works, Percy Grainger's shop, etc.). The scene satirizes a clash between "high" and "low" culture—a visiting symphony orchestra arriving at what appears to be a working-class neighborhood where a local amateur singing group (the "Close Harmony Society") offers their own competing performance. The humor lies in the contrast: the formal orchestra's arrival meets enthusiastic but unsophisticated local musicians, suggesting provincial resistance or indifference to serious art, and the comic chaos of competing musical traditions in a small town setting.