Life — October 27, 1904 — page 11: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "More Particular & Less Desirable in Choosing a Wife" This satirical cartoon by Vaudeville artist depicts a portly, well-dressed gentleman seated on a sofa, appearing to contemplate marriage prospects. The caption suggests the cartoon critiques men who become "more particular" yet "less desirable" when selecting wives—a commentary on marriage standards and hypocrisy. The humor appears to target wealthy or prominent men who make exacting demands in wives despite being themselves undesirable matches: the figure's physical appearance (heavyset, aging) contrasts sharply with presumably high expectations. The satire critiques the disconnect between men's self-regard and their actual marriageability, likely reflecting early-20th-century social anxieties about courtship, class, and matrimony. The page appears from *Life* magazine's satirical commentary section.