Life — October 19, 1899 — page 11: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "His Cure" - Life Magazine Cartoon This satirical cartoon depicts a well-dressed man in formal evening wear observing a group of fashionably-dressed women. The caption reads: "A MAN WHO CONTEMPLATED MARRYING FOR MONEY." The satire suggests that the man's consideration of marrying for financial gain serves as its own "cure"—presumably meaning the sight of these women and the associated social obligations and expenses of courtship/marriage dissuade him from the scheme. The cartoon mocks both men who marry for money and the expensive, elaborate fashion and social expectations surrounding women of means. It's social commentary on financial motivations in marriage and the costly nature of upper-class courtship in early 20th-century America.