Life — May 11, 1905 — page 11: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is a satirical illustration from *Life* magazine titled "William Waldorf Astor, Englishman" by artist Albert Levering. The cartoon depicts Astor as a caricatured figure in checkered clothing, holding a surveying instrument, with a life preserver labeled "S.S. Britannia" at his feet. The satire appears to mock Astor's adoption of English identity and mannerisms. A wealthy American industrialist, Astor apparently renounced his American citizenship to become English, which the cartoon criticizes through exaggerated dress and the life preserver—suggesting he's abandoning his American ship for a British one. The visual joke emphasizes his transformation from American businessman to would-be Englishman, likely commentary on wealthy Americans' aspirations to European aristocracy during the Gilded Age.