Life, 1889-03-21 · page 1 of 20
Life — March 21, 1889 — page 1: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Life Magazine, March 21, 1889 This page features two satirical illustrations. The masthead includes elaborate decorative vignettes typical of the era's design aesthetic. The main cartoon, titled "Table d'Hôte on the Lake of Como," depicts a dining scene with the caption "Don't you, Thee, ever wash here?" and "Oh, dear no! I only scratch and rub!" The scene appears to satirize members of the Royal British Water Color Society, whom Miss Tomkins overhears discussing their artistic technique. The joke critiques these artists' painting methods—specifically their light, tentative approach to watercolor work ("scratch and rub") rather than more decisive application. It's social satire mocking British artistic pretension and technical affectation among professional painters of the period.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
LI- is of ends nend 1 of le in stand A most. ‘OILET. Active, isands while nt the > been tained De had oLUME XIII. "NEWYORK, MARCH 21, 1880. Entered at the New York Post Office as Second-Class Mail Matter. Copyright, 188, by Mitcuett & Mituzr. NUMBER 325, “ , TABEE D'HOTE ON THE LAKE OF COMO. “DON'T YOU, THEN, EVER WASH HERE?" “OH, BEAR NO! ToNLY.scratcH AND RUB!” Miss Tomkins, overhearing, leat the table abruptly much disgusted. the Royal British Water Color Socicty who She afterwards hears were discussing the technique of they are members of thetr profession. t ~ comicbooks.com