Life — April 25, 1907 — page 9: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Life Magazine Page 577: "Who's What" This page contains biographical sketches of prominent Americans, each with a heraldic coat-of-arms illustration. The entries profile Jerome W.T. (a Connecticut businessman), J.D. Rockefeller (the famous oil magnate and philanthropist), and Reed Smoot (a Utah businessman and polygamist). The heraldic shields use visual satire: Rockefeller's includes a gear (industry), while Smoot's shows multiple figures (referencing his polygamous lifestyle). The page also includes humorous dialogue sections like "Then, and Now" and "Colleagues," featuring witty exchanges. One sketch mocks excuses for missing chapel at university. The overall satirical intent appears to be lampooning American wealth, business practices, and moral hypocrisy among the elite—standard *Life* magazine social commentary of the era.