Life — April 27, 1922 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This cover illustrates the classical adage "music hath charms to soothe the savage beast." The image depicts a mythological or fantastical scenario: a fierce lion is depicted gazing downward at a nude cherub or cupid figure playing what appears to be a pan flute or similar instrument. The satire likely comments on the civilizing or pacifying power of music and art—suggesting that even the most dangerous or "savage" force can be tamed by aesthetic refinement. The juxtaposition of the threatening lion with the innocent, delicate cherub emphasizes this contrast between wildness and domestication through culture. The reference remains recognizable today as it plays on a timeless proverb about art's universal power.