Life, 1913-05-01 · page 44 of 48
Life — May 1, 1913 — page 44: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page is primarily **advertising** for luxury goods (French lingerie, piano, shirts, collars) with one small satirical cartoon. ## The Cartoon: "The Chef's Faux Pas" The cartoon depicts a **Cannibal King** scolding his chef. The joke plays on the "proper etiquette" concept: the king criticizes the chef for *stewing* and *baking* previous dinner guests instead of *toasting* them—the "correct" way to prepare an honored guest according to a book on dining etiquette. **The satire**: This is darkly humorous racial stereotype humor typical of early 20th-century American publications. It mocks both: (1) cannibal stereotypes of African peoples, and (2) the rigid, often absurd rules of upper-class dining etiquette, suggesting the "civilized" concern with proper preparation methods is as ridiculous when applied to cannibalism as cannibalism itself is to the reader. The humor relies entirely on period racial caricature conventions that modern readers would recognize as offensive rather than funny.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Registered Established Trade Mark Half a Century New French Lingerie For Trousseaux A complete line of French novelties showing the new models de- manded by the present vogue in dainty, sheer materials with the new narrow, flat flounces and slashed sides, hand embroidered and trimmed with real lace. Matched Sets—Two and three piece. French hand-made, beautifully embroidered on sheer Batiste and Linen at $10.50, 12.50, 15,00, 17.50, 22.00, to 250. New Gowns nch hand-made, of sheer Batiste, Linen, and Silk Crepe de Chine, at $2.00, 2.75, 3.00, 3-50, 4-50, 5.00, 7.75 and up. Irish Lace Trimmed Gowns—$6.50, 7.59, 8.75 and up. Combinations—French hand-made novelties and extreme styles, $3.00, 3.50, 4.00, 4.50, 5.00, 5.75, 7-75, 9.50 and up. French Chemises—$1.00, 1.25, 1.50, 2.00, 2.25, 2.75, 3.00, 3.75- Austrian Chemises—With reinforced scallop edges, $1.50, 1.85, 2.00, 2.50, 2.75, 3.00, 3.50 and 4.50. New Negligees, Matinees, Kimonos and Boudoir Gowns— exclusive in style, with Boudoir Caps, Slippers and Petticoats to match, Mail Orders Receive Our Prompt Attention, James McCutcheon & Co. 5th Ave. 33d & 34th Sts., N. Y. Madras COLLARS MERION—A collar of the fashionable MARLEY- Es you appre- ciate the charm of playing the world’s finest music on a magnificent piano without the labor or the drudgery of years of practice or study? The Kranich & Bach enables you to do this with the tech- nique and expréssion of the virtuoso. KRANICH & BACH 237 EAST 23RDST., NEW YORKCITY THE CHEF'S FAUX PAS THIS BOOK SAYS THE DEVON type; made of white madras. 2 for 25¢. Cannibal King: sex were, cer, GUEST OF HONOR SHOULD ALWAYS BE TOASTED. YOU'VE NEARLY ALWAYS STEWED OR BAKED THEM, AND THAT LAST EXPLORER YOU SERVED EN CASSEROLE! SEE THAT 1T DOESN'T OCCUR AGAIN! with reversible “HENLEY” Cuffs halve laundry bills. $7.50 up. CLUETT, PEABODY & CO., INC., Makers, TROY, N.Y. comicbooks.com