Life — June 20, 1907 — page 17: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is an advertisement for C. Coles Phillips, a prominent illustrator of the early 20th century. The image shows a stylized female figure in profile, rendered in Phillips's characteristic "fadeaway" technique where portions of the figure blend seamlessly into the background. The accompanying text quote—"Her Choice / If you will, / Some heart-strings / Best linked / With Simplest Things" attributed to Will Carleton—appears to be romantic or sentimental verse. The advertisement itself doesn't promote a specific product but rather showcases Phillips's artistic style and reputation, likely appearing in *Life* magazine to establish his credentials as a sought-after commercial artist and illustrator of the era. The anchor patterns visible on the wallpaper suggest a nautical or maritime theme, which was popular decorative motif of the period.