Life, 1884-01-03 · page 6 of 19
Life — January 3, 1884 — page 6: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# "A Nocturne in Bread and Gold" This satirical cartoon depicts a rotund, well-fed figure (appears to be a wealthy industrialist or financier) sleeping contentedly while cradling money bags. The figure is labeled "PLUMBER" at bottom left, suggesting irony about supposedly working-class status masking actual wealth accumulation. Surrounding the sleeping figure are smaller characters engaged in various activities—some appear distressed or laboring. The caption references a "dinner-party" where "ladies left we had office gossip" and mentions "bread" versus "gold," suggesting contrast between working people's basic needs and the wealthy's abundance. The satire critiques economic inequality: how certain individuals become fabulously wealthy while others struggle, possibly during labor disputes or economic hardship. The ironic "plumber" label mocks the pretense of humble origins among the newly rich.
📄 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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