Life — April 24, 1919 — page 27: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

The main illustration shows a farmer with a plow being pulled by a horse, with another figure helping guide it—a scene of agricultural labor. The caption reads "Modern Ploughboy (ecstatically): MY FURROWS ARE SO MUCH MORE ARTISTIC THAN THE STRAIGHT ONES FARMER JOHN DOES!" This is satirical commentary on artistic pretension. The joke mocks someone applying fine-art aesthetics ("artistic") to mundane farm work, suggesting an absurd elevation of manual labor through pseudo-intellectual artistic claims. The "ecstatic" farmer character represents the ridiculous pride someone might take in making functional work conform to artistic principles rather than practical efficiency. The surrounding text discusses theatrical productions and shows, not directly related to this cartoon's satire on artistic affectation in everyday labor.