Life, 1925-07-16 · page 7 of 40
Life — July 16, 1925 — page 7: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains two distinct pieces: **"Satisfaction"** (left): A satirical story about three men purchasing art. The narrative mocks pretentious art criticism and collectors who lack genuine understanding. The Great Man dismisses the artwork's value while paradoxically praising it, exposing the hypocrisy of wealthy art patrons who follow fashionable opinions rather than developing authentic taste. **"The Perfect Fan"** (bottom): A cartoon showing a couple in a convertible car. The dialogue—"Can you drive with one hand?" / "You bet I can" / "Then have an apple"—is a flirtation joke, likely referencing dating customs of the era where young women tested men's driving ability as a pretext for romantic interaction. Both pieces satirize contemporary social pretension and courting behaviors.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Satisfaction IREE men stood before a master- piece in the Great Man's private gallery. All day long the crowds had ered admiringly before the sheer beauty of the thing. “We were most fortunate to get hold of it, si murmured the purchasing agent. He smiled fatly. “An exquisite work, and the only one of its kind in existence.” “Quite so,” boomed the Great Man. “If that ain't Art, I'll eat my shirt, buttons an’ all!” he grunted. “Oughtta be, for the price we paid, ch?” A mild voice intruded beside them. “The I do not think that it carries the story as it might.” They turned on the speaker with a mixture of rage and 1. He was small and slight, with ining gray hair, As though oblivious heir presence he. continued : ‘or is the foreground composition all that it should be, [am afraid.” He sighed, and shook his head. “How dare you belittle the greatest oil that the century has produced?” de- manded the agent indignantly. “A mas- terpiece that valued at-—" “Yes, 1 know,” said the little man apologetically, “but—" “Who the hell are The Great nously, * xpression on the woman's face— you, anywa Man's neck swelled omi- Every critic alive has pro- anced this to be—” “Yes,” and the stranger still gazed regretfully at the painting. “I know the critics.” He turned away with a YOU JUST KNOW HE WEARS 1 plaintive gesture. “I suppose that no artist worthy of the name is ever com- pletely satisfied with his work.” “Oh,” mumbled the agent. “Oh,” mumbled the They stared after the sl Stante Man. Jones. Latest bulletin: A large cargo of non-existent liquor has been landed at an impregnably guarded port by a totally dispersed rum fleet. “CAN YOU DRIVE WITH ONE HAND?” “you BET I CAN.” “THEN HAVE AN APPLE.” Notes for a Tennessee Primer A WAS an Archxopteryx, The homeliest squab of the primal chicks ; He yearned, he aspired, he took advice, And now he’s a Bird of Paradise. H was a hoppity Hyracothere Who wasn’t as big as a half-grown deer ; But bravely he followed the upward course, And now he is known as the Noble Horse. T was a tremulous Trilobite Who crawled in the depths of abysmal night; He left his environment drear and drab, And now he's a twelve-legged Horse- shoe Crab. M is a poor little runt called Man Who never has changed since the world began ; xpressly created to groan and grope, But fettered forever. No hope, no hope! Arthur Guiterman, The Perfect Fan you weren't late for the movie, were you, dear?” “Only about five minutes. We missed all the names of the directors and camera men, so we stayed for the sec- ond show to see who they were.” comicbooks.com