Life — February 24, 1898 — page 9: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# T. De Witt Talmage This page features a portrait sketch of T. De Witt Talmage, a prominent 19th-century American clergyman and public figure. The detailed engraving shows an elderly man with long, flowing hair and distinctive facial features. Talmage was known as a controversial preacher and social commentator. Life magazine, being satirical in nature, likely included this portrait to comment on or mock his public persona—possibly his theatrical preaching style, his outspoken social views, or his celebrity status among the public. Without additional text on this page, the specific satirical angle is unclear, but the inclusion in Life suggests Talmage was a figure of sufficient cultural prominence and controversy to warrant the magazine's attention.