Life, 1891-01-15 · page 1 of 18
Life — January 15, 1891 — page 1: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# "A Case in Point" - Life Magazine, January 15, 1891 This satirical piece critiques physiognomy—the pseudoscientific belief that facial features reveal character. The dialogue mocks this notion: **She** argues that people are shaped by their surroundings; natural scenery influences character, citing "Highlanders" as examples of how landscape produces "rugged faces." **He** responds that a plain-looking Chicago girl he knows disproves this theory—she lives on Prairie Avenue (a wealthy Chicago neighborhood with fine scenery) yet remains "plain-looking." The satire ridicules the era's widespread belief in physiognomy while also gently mocking assumptions about how environment determines appearance or character. The illustration shows what appears to be a social gathering where such pretentious discussion might occur.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
: VOLUME XVII. NEW YORK, JANUARY 15, 1891. Entered at the New York Post Office as Second-Class Mail Matter. Copyright 189r, by Mrrcwetn & Mitter NUMBER 420. I] SCAN 1 OZ sm. tle yf the g1PT ll . A CASE IN POINT. She: I BELIEVE THAT A PEOPLE ARE BOTH OUTWARDLY AND INWARDLY INFLUENCED BY THEIR ) NATURAL SURROUNDINGS—THAT SCENERY INFLUENCES PHYSIOGNOMY—THE HIGHLANDERS, YOU KNOW, t HAVE RUGGED FACES, 4 He: Yes, aNd THAT CHICAGO GIRL BEIIND ME, WHO LIVES ON PRAIRIE AVENUE, IS PLAIN-LOOKING. — ¢ ‘ ¢ t a r R -¢ L D t comicbooks.com