The Wasp — 1879 — page 443: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This six-panel satirical comic depicts a conflict between artistic neighbors. A musician visits to complain about water work (panel 1), then approaches casually (2). The situation escalates when he catches a tartar—apparently the neighbor artist uses chemicals (4), suggesting some kind of artistic process or experimentation. Panel 5 shows the "man of paint is triumphantly victorious," while panel 6 reveals "the result is not satisfactory to either." The satire mocks tensions between neighboring artists with different practices (music versus painting/chemistry). The joke appears to hinge on artistic temperaments clashing and escalating conflict, with neither party satisfied despite one's apparent victory. The humor relies on readers' familiarity with bohemian artist stereotypes and their contentious relationships.