Life, 1915-01-21 · page 9 of 44
Life — January 21, 1915 — page 9: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This cartoon satirizes high-society theater attendance during the early 20th century. The drawing depicts elegantly dressed men and women in fashionable attire at what the caption describes as "A Pavlowa Audience," likely referencing the famous Russian prima ballerina Anna Pavlova's tours in America. The satire appears to mock the pretension and frivolity of wealthy patrons who attend such performances. The caption's instruction "(to be en règle this season gowns must accord with the music)" humorously suggests that fashionable attendees are more concerned with wearing the correct gowns than actually appreciating the artistic performance—they're treating the ballet as a fashion show rather than a cultural event. The illustration is signed "Otto Cushing," a cartoonist of that era.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
(Oto Cusfing A PAVLOWA AUDIENCE (70 BE EN REGLE THIS SEASON GOWNS MUST ACCORD WITH THE MUSIC) complete control of mankind, and while there is efficiency in the world rum will have to suffer much salutary restraint. Rum and efficiency seem like natural neighbors, and we shall probably keep them both, and must hope and pray to employ them tem- perately. Thus may we keep a hold on art and beauty, which efficiency would abolish, and possibly have garb and roofs and food which rum can always spare. One could wish very much that effi- ciency in its war with rum would single out the more destructive intoxi- cants and let the milder ones alone. Also that rum in its warfare with efficiency would hit it in its more odious phases and spare it where it does good. No one should care how hard efficiency hit whiskey, or how hard rum hit roadside advertising. E. S. Martin. A New Source of Supply ON top of the glad news that reindeer are now being raised in large numbers in Alaska to furnish future supplies of meat, comes word that the hippopotamus will soon be used for domestic purposes. The Liberian hippopotamus is quite small, weighing, in good health, not over four hundred and twenty pounds, and is modest and retiring, but ex- tremely nourishing. He is affectionate in disposition, and, while growing up, can be the source of endless amuse- ment for the children. Unlike most pets, he does not object to being bathed. A house hippopotamus will frequently spend hours in the bathtub of his own accord, and, indeed, prefers having his meals served there, if possible. Hippopotamuses, or hippopotami (ac- cording to whether you are a college graduate or not) are easily kept within bounds. One never sees them leap- ing over fences, or frisking among the corn. They are, it is true, fond of loll- ing about in freshly watered geranium beds, but these can easily be protected by barbed wire. Also, the presence of a group of hippopotamuses on your place is sooth- ing to the nerves. It is extremely rare, if ever, that a hippopotamus has the St. Vitus dance. He sleeps, as a rule, quite late in the morning, and is, in fact, undisturbed by things which keep many of us anxious and tareworn. We look forward to the time when every respectable family will keep, in addition to the customary six-cylinder auto, a small group of hippopotamuses to keep down the cost of living. OVE is a game in which we win when holding the smallest hands. comichooks.