Life — September 21, 1928 — page 12: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This satirical cartoon depicts a fashionable pool hall where patrons have adopted contemporary modernist furniture and decor. The pool table itself features decorative stars and celestial motifs—characteristic of 1920s-30s Art Deco style. Well-dressed figures in formal attire and hats gather around, with the space decorated in the "moderne" (streamlined modernism) aesthetic that was trendy among affluent Americans. The satire mocks how aggressively the modernist design trend was penetrating everyday spaces, even traditionally working-class venues like pool parlors. By showing upscale furniture and decor in this casual setting, the cartoonist humorously comments on how pervasive and somewhat absurd the fashion craze had become—applied indiscriminately wherever possible.