Life, 1895-06-27 · page 7 of 21
Life — June 27, 1895 — page 7: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of Life Magazine Page 421 This page contains two cartoons and accompanying commentary satirizing art criticism and artists. **"Cork Souls"** (top): Depicts cherubs/putti (classical art references) with one playing a trumpet. The caption mocks pretentious art appreciation—suggesting an "unknown nymph" might please philistines, but lacks the technical sophistication of Raphael. **"A Man Is a Man For A' That"** (bottom): Shows two figures in casual dress. The accompanying poem "A Critic" ridicules a female art enthusiast who visits St. Peter's Basilica and the Vatican with "coldly cultured glasses" and a "discriminating frown," yet dismisses classical masterworks. The satire targets affected cultural pretension and shallow connoisseurship—someone performing sophistication without genuine understanding. Both pieces mock bourgeois art snobbery and fraudulent expertise among amateur collectors.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
me other correspondents delight in giving you the idea that they are boys off for an irresponsible holiday, and in search of what is sensational. Deliberate judgment is foreign to their nature. Whatever may be legitimately smiled at in Mr. Smalley’s letters, this remains true, that for many years he has unswervingly stood for the dignity of his profession—and that at a time when the profession has been rather inclined to ridicule its own claims to many ye; dignified consideration. Droch. RIS A CRITIC, S HE wanders through St. Peter's, And makes herself at home ; She shudders at the Altar, But she quite approves the Dome. With coldly cultured glasses, And discriminating frown, She calmly does the Vatican, And turns old masters down, An‘ Unknown" may please her, If rapturously Greek,” But Raphael is “ spotty” And lacking in ‘*tech- nique.” He doesn’t satisfy” her, But Titian was ‘‘a dear.” Del Sarto ‘*Knew his colors” And she likes his atmo- sphere.” To hear her on mosaics, On frescoes or on jade, You never would believe her A breezy Western maid. Or dream, before she went abroad, With wild expectant joy, She'd never traveled twenty miles From Cairo, Illinois ! Harry Romaine. THE WAY IT IS DONE. HE first open gun of the Paderewski campaign was fired recently in the shape of a small paragraph in the papers to the effect that the great pianist will be here in October, and LiFe hastens to join the ranks of the journalistic advertising mediums who understand how to do this sort of thing. In a short time other little items of information will be added. The length of his hair accurately ascertained by actual measurement, his latest man- nerisms, minute description of his toilet articles (illustrated) and many personal anecdotes, will all come into play and serve their time. Gradually the tide will swell, the Paderewski boom will be on, and the public, with intense eagerness, will have been whipped into the proper state of expectant enthusiasm. Lire is fond of Paderewski, and glad that in common with other European immortals, he under- stands how to “catch on” to the Great American Public.