Judge, 1925-09-19 · page 14 of 36
Judge — September 19, 1925 — page 14: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This satirical page mocks American tourist Betty's observations of modern art and European culture. The central joke references "September Morn," a famous 1912 painting by Paul Chabas that scandalized Americans for depicting female nudity—Betty compares a cubist artwork ("Au Crepuscule") to this notorious picture, suggesting modern art is equally shocking or absurd. The side gags ridicule famous artworks: Betty critiques the "Mona Lisa" for not smiling (playing on dental hygiene advertising), and questions King Solomon's simultaneous crown and nightgown in a painting. The caption mocks the "Palais de Bois" exhibition venue as a temporary structure with dirt floors, suggesting modernist/avant-garde art exhibitions were pretentious despite humble physical conditions. The humor targets both American prudishness about art and the perceived pretentiousness of modernist movements in 1920s Paris.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
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