Life — November 27, 1924 — page 19: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is a humorous satirical map of New York City presented as a fantastical landscape, likely from the early 20th century. The cartoonist labels actual Manhattan locations and institutions (Catskill Mountains, Broadway, Battery Park, Brooklyn Bridge, Shinnecock Hills) alongside literary and cultural references. Key satirical elements include: references to Washington Irving's "Rip Van Winkle," the Statue of Liberty ("Matty" and "Liberty"), and various prominent New York figures and institutions. The map playfully treats the city as mythical territory, mocking both tourist perceptions of New York and locals' pretensions. The inclusion of society names like "Astor" and references to cultural institutions suggests satire of New York's wealthy elite and their self-importance. The overall joke appears to be that New York—treated as legendary and exotic—is actually a familiar, modern city that many New Yorkers themselves claim never to have properly explored or understood.