Life, 1892-04-14 · page 3 of 26
Life — April 14, 1892 — page 3: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of Life Magazine Page (Volume XIX, Number 485) This page contains Lenten-themed satirical content. The top cartoon "Thus endeth Lent" depicts a figure struggling with a large ornamental burden, mocking religious observance of Lenten sacrifice. "To a Fair Saint" by Tom Marson is a poem addressing someone who abstained from kissing and other pleasures during Lent's "forty tedious days," now seeking reconciliation. Below are dialogue snippets and a sketch titled "At the National Academy" about American art funding. The humor appears to critique both religious hypocrisy (abandoned sacrifices) and American cultural pretensions regarding art appreciation. The specific identities of figures are unclear, but the satire targets conventional religious practice and American attitudes toward European artistic culture—common Life magazine subjects of this era.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
VOLUME XIX. NUMBER 485. TO A. FAIR SAINT. OR forty tedious days drawn out, Thou most perverse of misses (Your sacrifice you say it was), You've kept from me your kisses. And now you come with lips held up To mine—your penance over— You'd have me leave the arid sands And dwell once more in clover. But has it been an arid sand For me while you've been fasting ? Dear me, so far as I'm concerned, Your penance can be lasting. Sahara was too much for me, It had too dry a basis, And while you fasted, dear, I found A dimpled, swect, oasi Tom Masson. ] EVI, JR.: Fadder, de shentlemans vat puys te tia- ~ mond engagement ring yesterday comes py te store to-day ant pawned it. Levi, Sk.: How vos he look ? Levi, Jk.: All proke up. Levi bizness > .: Vill you nefer learn to take interest in te Vy didn’t you try to sell te shentlemans a pistol ? H E.: Have I got to tell you that I love you ? SHE: Ono. I guess you've been making a fool of yourself long enough to satisfy papa. AT THE NATIONAL ACADEMY. He: How FEW PEOPLE THERE ARE HERE, AND YET AMERICANS ARE. FOND OF ART. She: Tuat’s wuy. comicbooks.com