Life, 1917-07-12 · page 23 of 40
Life — July 12, 1917 — page 23: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page satirizes high-society figures by depicting them in embarrassing moments caught by the camera. The humor relies on contrasting their pretensions with humiliating reality: - **Mrs. B. Initor-Dedd**: Despite being "an accomplished horsewoman," she's shown unseated or falling from her horse at a fence - **Mr. Plato Punk**: A serious salmon fisherman shown failing spectacularly—making "a landing without a net" (implying he's losing his catch) - **Master Orville Munnimore Jr.**: Son of a renowned "whip" (horseman), yet depicted in an awkward riding situation - **The J. Cadby Holloheads**: Wealthy enough for elaborate yacht dinners, but caught in an undignified moment aboard ship The satire targets wealthy individuals' self-importance by revealing their incompetence and mishaps. The subtitle "Had the Camera Caught the Wrong Moment" is ironic—these *are* the "wrong moments," exposing the gap between society's polished self-image and reality. This reflects Life magazine's tradition of mocking American aristocratic pretension.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“LIFE: Our Society Snapshots HAD THE CAMERA CAUGIT THE WKONG MOMENT Mrs. B. Initor-Dedd on her favorite mount. She Mr. Plato Punk, who takes calmon fishing seri- is an accomplished horsewoman, and shows rare ously. He is shown making a landing without a form at a fence. net. Master Orville Munnimore, Jr, son of a famous The J. Cadby Holloheads, who are at present giv- whip, is himself an enthusiastic young horseman. ing some elaborate dinners on their new ocean-g01ng yacht. comicbooks.com