Life, 1889-12-05 · page 5 of 18
Life — December 5, 1889 — page 5: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Page Analysis: Life Magazine, Page 315 This page features a satirical cartoon about portraiture and artistic standards. The caption questions whether an artist's portrait of "Miss Yellowleaf" is a good likeness, with the punchline that she refused to accept it from the artist. The accompanying poem, "Man vs. Æsthete," contrasts two male responses to feminine beauty. One man (Harold) becomes poetic and aesthetic upon seeing a woman's blush, imagining himself as a butterfly. The other (Jack) pragmatically conceals his reaction behind a fan, content simply to be a man. The satire mocks both excessive aestheticism and artistic pretension—suggesting that concern with beauty, grace, and artistic representation can be ridiculous compared to straightforward masculine practicality.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“Was Miss YELLOWLEAF'S PORTRAIT A GOOD LIKENESS?” “IT MUST HAVE BEEN; SHE REFUSED TO TAKE IT FROM THE ARTIST.” MAN VS. ZSTHETE. HEN Harold sees a blushing cheek In sweet delight his heart doth beat, And, with a soft sesthetic sigh, He would he were a butterfly. Perhaps with less poetic grace, Jack, bending o'er a flushing face Artfully concealed behind a fan, Is quite content to be a man. comicbooks.com