Life — July 15, 1915 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "How Perfectly Absurd!" This July 1915 *Life* cartoon satirizes Egyptian-themed fashion and exoticism popular in early 20th-century American high society. The illustration shows a fashionable woman in an elaborate Egyptian-inspired costume performing what appears to be a theatrical or dance pose, flanked by Egyptian hieroglyphic imagery and decorative elements. The caption "How Perfectly Absurd!" suggests mockery of the era's enthusiasm for Egyptology and orientalist aesthetics—treating ancient Egyptian culture as fashionable costume rather than serious history. The exaggerated poses and styling ridicule wealthy Americans' adoption of "exotic" themes as entertainment and status symbols. The central figure's dramatic gesturing emphasizes the performative absurdity *Life's* editors found in this trend.