Life, 1894-11-15 · page 7 of 16
Life — November 15, 1894 — page 7: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of "The Wonders of America" Page This page promotes a series of engravings depicting American natural landmarks. The text argues that Americans should explore their own country rather than traveling abroad to Europe. The author (signing as "Drab") contends that America's natural wonders—represented here by Tuxedo Park, New Jersey rock formations and Korker's Valley, California with its pear trees—rival European attractions and deserve appreciation. The satire targets American snobbery: wealthy travelers routinely dismissed domestic scenery as inferior to Old World attractions. Life advocates for patriotic appreciation of American landscape, positioning these engravings as educational tools for "parents and teachers," making national beauty accessible while countering European cultural superiority claims popular among the American elite.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
- LIFE: of line, the grace of composition, the freedom, the direct- ness, etc., etc. I’ve heard men say who know (and real critics all know), that Gibson has all of those things, and a good many more. And I believe he has; but he does not make much fuss about them. He goes right along making better and better pictures, working with energy and intelli- gence—and the other fellows do the talking. Droch, THE WONDERS OF AMERICA. HY do Americans spend their time and money in foreign travel when they know so little of their native land ? How often we hear this question! And the usual answer is that the Old World has more attractions than the New. Now Lire, who is, above all things. American, feels it his duty as a patriot to set his countrymen aright. It is for this purpose that he has undertaken, with infinite labor and unreasoning ex- pense, the publication of a series of impressive pictures, which shall place America above all other lands as the abode of the marvelous and the beautiful. Although the purpose of this series is, of course, educational, it is believed the artistic value of the engravings and their absolute fidelity to nature will render them objects of interest and pleasure to the most hardened traveler. For the benefit of parents and teachers these instructive plates may, if the de- mand is sufficiently eager, be published 313 later in book form. As the scries progresses it will seem almost incredible to our readers that native geographers and artists should have been able to overlook so many of the real wonders of this continent. We all know how difficult it is to give strangers a correct impression of one’s own country. Hereafter the intelligent foreigner can decide for himself as to whether America is worth a visit. THE WONDERS OF AMERICA. NATURAL ROCK FORMATION AT TUXEDO Park, N, J. THE WONDERS OF AMERICA. A view IN KorKER's VALLEY, CALIFORNIA, WITH PEAR TREE IN IMMEDIATE FOREGROUND. . jj comicbooks.com