Life, 1884-07-17 · page 12 of 16
Life — July 17, 1884 — page 12: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# "The Pursuit of Art" — Life Magazine Satire The top cartoon mocks artistic pretension. A man named Terreverte, presenting himself as an artist, flatters a rural property owner about painting his old well "in color." The owner, equally unsophisticated, agrees it would look fine—neither understands art. The joke is revealed when Terreverte returns the next day to find the owner has already painted the well purple, destroying any artistic opportunity. The satire targets both fake artists seeking easy subjects and the clueless wealthy who patronize them without understanding aesthetics. The lower section provides classical context through Aristides, the "Just" Athenian patriot. A peasant, tired of hearing him called "The Just," asks him to write his own name on a ballot for exile—unaware of the irony. Aristides, proving his integrity, writes his rival's name instead, accepting exile with dignity. This contrasts sharply with the contemporary satire above: ancient virtue versus modern fraud.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
THE PURSUIT OF ART. Our Friend Terreverte: “WHAT A FINE OLD WELL. Iv WOULD BE SO EFFECTIVE IN COLOR. I SHOULD LIKE TO CALL TO-MORROW AND PAINT IT. Appreciative Owner: WELL NOW I'M GLAD TO HEAR YOU SAY SO. I'VE ALLERS THOUGHT MYSELF HOW FINE IT WOULD LOOK IN COLOR. pot into his hat. Then he assisted Mr. WHIFFLES to totter from the room. The silence for several minutes was profound. Then the Rev. Mr. SMITH extended his hand to Mr. WILLIAMS. “Brer Toor,” he said, “dad's de gosely warnin’ dat we mussent be proud of sperrit. Yar wese been a shufflin’ an’ a cuttin’ an’ a dealin’ fer mo’n a yar, an’ no niggah o’ dis club evah hole fo’ nines w’en wese ben in de risin’ mood. I doan’ mine de loss 0’ de scads, but it goes agin’ natur fer to see a chump kerry off de boodle, w’en all de speeunce ob de noble game cawn’t rise mo’n three squeens.” Mr. WILLIAMS assented with tears in his eyes. The Rev. Mr. SMITH continued, “ Brer WILLIAMS, pokah is pokah, ’n chumps is chumps. Dar’s no median line. Gin me a squar’ game ’n a reas’nable speeunce wif de dog’s ears ‘n wrinkles on de back ob. de cyards, ’n I'll rassle twell Gabriel toots ; bud ef dat chump WHIFFLES evah cotches me agin wif my spenders broke, dar’s no prov’dence. Cordin’ ter Rule 47 now, de kitty ‘ll sot up de beer.” The Club adjourned. TTERREVERTE CALLS THE NEXT DAY TO FIND THE OLD LADY HAS ALREADY GIVEN IT A COAT OF PURPLE SO THAT HE CAN HAVE A “GOOD FOUNDATION TO WORK ON.” ANECDOTE OF ARISTIDES. HE Athenian Patriot, Aristides, by reason of his In- flexible Integrity, had acquired the surname of The Just. At an Election which was to decide whether the Sen- tence of Ostracism should be passed upon him, or upon his Rival, the Demagague Cleosobulus, the Vote was a Tie and the Polls were on the Point of Closing when an Unlettered Rustic approached the Patriot and handing him the Shell which the Athenian Citizens were accustomed to employ as a Ballot, desired him to inscribe thereon the name of Aristides. “Of Aristides?” echoed the Patriot, “wherefore should you desire the Banishment of Athens’ Favorite Son?” “’Coz,” answered the Rustic, “I am tired of hearing him called ‘The Just;’ in fact, I am ‘Just’ tired.” “Gimme the shell,” said Aristides, and himself inscribing thereon the name of Cleoso- bulus, he Dropped it into the Urn, then, folding his Cloak around him, beheld with an unmoved Countenance, his Rival being led away into Exile. Vers. SAP.—Never look a gift mule in the heels. comicbooks.com.