Life — August 31, 1916 — page 18: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page features a single ink sketch titled "Studies in Expression: Presenting a Letter of Introduction." It depicts a well-dressed gentleman in formal attire (jacket, bow tie) holding a hat in one hand while gesturing with the other. His facial expression appears somewhat anxious or ingratiating. The title suggests this is satirizing the social practice of formal letters of introduction—a convention where someone would present a letter to gain entry into society or business circles. The man's body language and expression seem to mock the obsequious behavior such situations demanded. Without additional context or identifying details visible in the image, the specific target of this satire remains unclear, though it appears to critique Victorian-era social pretension and formal etiquette.