Life — December 7, 1922 — page 29: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is a satirical cartoon depicting anthropomorphized cats playing cards around a table. The title "The Dummy" refers to a card game term—in bridge, one player's cards are exposed and played by their partner. The cartoon's humor lies in the visual pun: actual cats are playing cards, with one cat serving as "the dummy" in the game. The scene includes period details like a lamp, framed cat portrait on the wall, and formal seating arrangement, treating the cats as if they were sophisticated gentlemen engaged in a serious game. The satire likely mocks human pretension and gambling culture by literalizing the card-game terminology through animal characters. Without a visible date, the exact historical context remains unclear, but this represents Life magazine's characteristic blend of visual wordplay and social observation.