Life, 1904-12-15 · page 19 of 44
Life — December 15, 1904 — page 19: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is primarily an **advertisement/contest page** rather than political satire. Life magazine is soliciting title suggestions for a Charles Dana Gibson drawing depicting two elegantly dressed figures in a canoe on a river, with swans nearby. The cartoon itself appears to be a **romantic scene** — likely depicting courtship or leisure among the upper class, typical of Gibson's "Gibson Girl" era illustrations (early 1900s). The specific figures are unclear without additional context, but the pastoral setting and refined clothing suggest social satire about courtship or romance among the wealthy. The **satire lies in the contest structure itself**: Life charges $5 for a subscription just to *enter* a contest offering a $500 prize, ensuring they profit regardless of winners. This is somewhat tongue-in-cheek marketing — the magazine is openly commercializing reader engagement while pretending to seek artistic input. Modern readers would recognize this as an early example of **participatory marketing** and **crowdsourcing**, where companies profit from unpaid creative labor disguised as contests.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Copyright, 1904, Lire WHAT IS A GOOD TITLE FOR THIS GIBSON DRAWING? The picture has no title. LIFE wants the best one that can be suggested. It is not a puzzle picture, The title may be a word, a line, a verse or a quotation. No suggestion for a title will be considered The person who suggests Mr. Charles Dana Gibson draws regularly unless accompanied by Five Dollars to pay for the most appropriate for LIFE, the leading illustrated, humorous a year's subscription to LIFE. Subscriptions _ title will receive a and satirical journal of the world. The Christ- may begin st any tine: determined by the mas and other extra numbers of LIFE are e Editors of LIFE from titles submitted in the p f sent to subscribers without additional charge. competition. Write your title on an envelope, rize O Send ten cents now for the copy of LIFE with your name and address inside, Enc which will contain the announcement of the both with your remittance for subscription. It of thi Y. d add Suggestions must reach LIFE before February reas of this contest. Your name ani jeceress 1, 1905. The result will be announced in will be put on file and the copy mailed to LIFE for February 23, 1905. you as soon as issued. In addition to the opportunity to gain the $500 prize, EVERY COMPETITOR WILL RECEIVE, FREE OF CHARGE, an artist’s proof of the picture, hand-printed on 17x 21 India paper, plate-marked ready for framing. LIFE PUBLISHING COMPANY isstizi* G2 An artistically printed catalogue, containing 135 miniature reproductions of prints and proofs by Gibson, Gilbert, Clay, Blashfield, Harrison Fisher, Crosby and others, published by LIFE, will be sent to any address on receipt of ten cents. A dainty volume which will be of service in the selection of holiday gifts. comicbooks.com