Life, 1884-05-29 · page 8 of 16
Life — May 29, 1884 — page 8: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis This page from *Life* magazine presents satirical sketches of horses and equestrian classes. The top section depicts various horse types with humorous captions: "Percheron" (a French Norman gentleman), "Araba" (an Aristarchian Bey), and "Donkeys" (described as having the loudest braying). The central illustration shows a chaotic "Class 80 Four-in-Hand Team" with an elegantly dressed driver struggling to control unruly horses—a common subject of period satire mocking incompetent horsemen. Below is commentary about horse-lovers and livestock handling. The bottom sketches show a "Shetland Pony" and "Qualified Hunters." The satire targets wealthy gentlemen's pretensions about horsemanship and breeding knowledge. The page mocks fashionable society's relationship with animals—suggesting that owning fine horses was more about status than actual competence or care.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
PERCHERONS, — MoNSieuR NoGENT-LE-Rotrov, -ARABS_ A YOUNG FRENCH NonMAN GENTLEMAN 4) ARISTARCHI BEY, OF FINE PROPORTIONS, Sh THCROUSH BRED ARAB, BREEDER THE SuLTAN of TURKEY, Ej AS GENTLE AS A LAMB «. WHEN HE 1S NOT AS — DONKEYS — PRIZE $30. For THE Loupest PRAYING Ass. Lavy ne Ligutine , Sine, Hunver, DAM FouR-IN-HAND TEAM, (THs PRIZE wie Ie eS BE GIVEN IN PLATE : SS Lie + SSR (HGS SSN WHAT GREATER PLEASURE, To T GENSIBLE ge EE SPIRITED CATTLE. MG Me KEEN LoveR oF NorseFLesk , THAN THAT AFFORDED 3Y To THE SLIGHTEST Toucn Of, WHIP OR REIN AnpTHEN, LOOK AT THAT A Worse ? — SWETLAND Ponies — Quauieieo Hues. Hav to RNISH A CERTIFICATE FROM THE M. ERS. Wii, e FURNI fel ae ; ee. 3 € ER OF Tom THUMB 4g ‘/2 INenES. PAck of HOUNDS THAT THE HORSE HAS BEEN Reauany HUNTED PP _