Life, 1921-07-28 · page 25 of 34
Life — July 28, 1921 — page 25: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page satirizes **class distinctions in American taste** through two separate features: **Left side** presents a hierarchical ranking of cultural preferences—from "High Brow" (Einstein, Picasso, fine fabrics) down to "Low Brow" (jazz, movies, beer). The joke is that each tier includes its own clichéd markers of sophistication or vulgarity, mocking how Americans use consumption to signal social status. **Right side** ridicules **silent film stars portraying historical figures**. The cartoons show how movies trivialize history: Charlie Chaplin as a Revolutionary War general (at Cornwallis's surrender), Mary Pickford as Joan of Arc, William S. Hart as Louis XIV, and William Farnum as Sir Walter Raleigh. The satire suggests that Hollywood's casting and dramatization reduce serious history to entertainment spectacle, with actors chosen for star power rather than authenticity. This mocks both cinema's historical pretensions and audiences who consumed these anachronistic portrayals uncritically.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
July 28 Taste High Brow: CANDINAVIAN Drama. S he Flonzaley Quartet. Einstcin's “Theory of Relativity.” Picasso. The Poetry of Ming. Pear! Gray Habutai Silk. Scotch Madras Shirts. Unsweetened China Tea, with Lemon, Sedans upholstered in Sand-col- ored Velour. Anchovies. English Mustard. “If ;ou know what I mean.” Near High Brow: FE! CH Problem Plays. alli-Curci. “Main Street.” Japonese Prints. The Poetry of Henry van Dyke. Rose Taffeta. Silk Crepe Shirts. Ginzer Ale Highballs. Open Cars upholstered in Charlie Chaplin at. the Surrender of Cornwallis Péche Melba. “You understand, don’t you?” Near Low Brow: USICAL Comedy. M Sousa’s Band. Harold Bell Wright. Cure Prints of Girls’ Heads. Wilt Mason. Beaded Net, over Red Satin. Candy-striped Silk Shirts, Prune Pie. “Get me?” Low Brow: N [OVIES. Jazz. “Spicy Stories.” Framed Photographs of Movie stars and Pugilists. wspaper Limericks. rple Satin. -«vender Shirts with Pink Ties. ‘ear Beer. rolley Cars and Jitneys. am Sandwiches. it Sundaes. “Savvy?” Wm. S. Hart as Lovis the Magnificent Harvey Peake. Characters When Our Movie Stars Portray Some Historical Sir Waiter Raleigh (Wme Farnum) and Queen Elizabeth comicbooks.com