Life — April 30, 1914 — page 22: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This illustration, signed by Paul Salle and dated 1915, depicts a well-dressed man in formal evening attire reclining in an armchair in what appears to be a refined study or library (with bookshelves visible). Two women attend to him—one behind the chair and one to the side—suggesting he is being pampered or admired. The satire appears to mock male vanity and self-importance. The title "The Egotist's Dream" suggests this scene represents an imaginary fantasy where the man is the center of female attention and comfort. The cartoon likely critiques the self-absorbed attitudes of wealthy or elite men of the era who expected deference and admiration, particularly from women. The refined domestic setting emphasizes how such egotism was enabled by upper-class social conventions of the period.