Life — September 1, 1921 — page 12: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Explanation for Modern Readers This page satirizes extreme luxury estate design through mock "building specifications" for an absurdly opulent residence. The specifications humorously describe outlandish features: a moat stocked with exotic vessels (Roman galleys, Venetian gondolas, swan boats), grounds containing art statuary and animal statuary (dogs, stags, Brownies), and architectural styles from every historical period simultaneously. The cartoon below depicts King Solomon, the biblical figure legendary for his vast wealth and numerous wives. A reporter asks for his views on matrimony; Solomon quips that with 700 wives, he's unbothered by marriage concerns. This references contemporary wealth inequality and satirizes how the ultra-rich live by different social rules than ordinary people. The humor lies in mocking both extravagant materialism and the casual amorality it enables.