Life — October 31, 1907 — page 13: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page presents a humorous instructional guide to playing bridge using cherub figures. The six panels humorously depict bridge game rules and etiquette through allegorical scenes: - **"Convention"**: A cherub consults rules - **"Going Back"**: Returning to the table - **"Without"**: Playing solo - **"No Penalties"**: Cherubs playing freely - **"Going Over"**: Exceeding tricks (shown dramatically with a spoon/ladle) - **"Playing to the Score"**: Recording results The satire appears to mock bridge's complex rules and social conventions by treating the serious card game with whimsical, childlike reverence. The cherubs suggest innocence clashing with the game's formality. This likely appealed to Life's audience during the bridge-playing era when the game was popular among American social classes, lampooning both the game's intricacy and players' pretentiousness.