Life, 1926-04-01 · page 28 of 46
Life — April 1, 1926 — page 28: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page satirizes the "modernist" or "flapper" culture of the 1920s. The top cartoon depicts a composer being inspired by witnessing a modern young woman—likely representing how contemporary culture (jazz, mechanization, speed) influenced avant-garde art. The exaggerated, disjointed drawing style itself mimics modernist aesthetics. The story "Let the World Go On" mocks Professor Jones, who observes a fashionable young woman with "well-exposed legs" and assumes she's intellectually empty based on her appearance and "flapper" mannerisms. However, her bright, intelligent eyes contradict his prejudice, forcing him to reconsider his assumptions about modern women's intellect versus their appearance. The "Information Wanted" sidebar is a humorous aside about time-tables, unrelated to the main content. The satire targets intellectual snobbery and outdated assumptions about young women's capabilities during a period when women's social roles were rapidly changing.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Strothe ann % his cynicism held good.... produced by the sun THE MODERNIST COMPOSER GETS AN INSPIRATION Let the World Go On PROFFSSOR JONES experienced prise to see a bright, intelligent took — shatter one of the most startling optical in her eyes! The ¢ eal ct iusions th ther day, While walking Bless me!" he mused. “What a rare shining through the hack of her head. down Fifth Avenue, saw a modern — speci What a very rare specimen ! Jack duburn Pennmann, girl—gay, exotic, well-shaped, with well- Typically modern girl with a_ bright- ilken hose; ness in her eyes that, ..” Information Wanted herwise nattily dressed; it couldn't be. Professor 1 never ‘admit MES: SUBBUBS: Are there any stions you would like to ask, exposed legs enhanced by flashily and saucy, mincing steps—yes, no illusion J nist, wot there: just a typical flapper type much less a chic modern But, after gazii hat any g 1, could time, he looked at her face. those eyes— f. intently at her ve intelligence Nora New Main: Yes'm, just one. Where hey seemed to be bea He had formed a mental picture of — of brightness; how to ac do you keep the time-tables? what that face would be: pretty, without inconsistency? piquant, well-rounded, painted, calci- He approached her to invc NEVERTHELESS it could be worse mined, shellacked a apparent phenomenon further, Ah!— Suppose Vice-President Dawes had cent, but dumb, But what was his sur- — the solution! His theories were not an Official Spoke ;comicbooks.com >