Life — April 6, 1916 — page 22: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This satirical cartoon depicts wealthy domestic tourists experiencing an elaborate indoor recreation of climbing the Matterhorn mountain. Instead of traveling abroad, people are suspended by ropes in what appears to be a themed interior space, with decorative panels simulating an Alpine setting. The joke targets early 20th-century Americans who could afford leisure travel but preferred staying home—likely referencing tourist attractions that simulated exotic destinations indoors. The figure being hoisted represents a tourist "conquering" the mountain without leaving the room. The satire mocks both the commercialization of tourism and upper-class Americans' desire for adventure without actual effort or travel expense. The "stay-at-homes" subtitle suggests this was a common enough phenomenon to warrant satirical commentary.