Life, 1909-04-29 · page 28 of 28
Life — April 29, 1909 — page 28: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page from *Life* magazine (dated April 29, 1909) features a political cartoon titled "Triumphal Cars—Past and Present." The illustration contrasts two wheeled vehicles: a classical Roman chariot (left) with an early automobile (right). The satire appears to compare modern automotive technology to ancient Roman military achievement. The text explains that the cartoon draws a historical parallel, suggesting that the automobile represents contemporary civilization's triumphant engineering—comparable to Rome's greatest accomplishments. The joke likely critiques American industrial pride and consumerism of the early 1900s: the newfangled motorcar is presented with grandiose historical significance, inflating what is essentially a consumer product to the level of imperial conquest. This reflects *Life* magazine's characteristic skepticism toward American boosterism and the emerging automobile industry's cultural impact during this period of rapid industrialization.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
W8Q “o1w0H | WHER IS POLY OB “PTT “*PRBED PP AaedwD aOUMPI LL ‘HOIW “ONISNVT ‘SHYOAL YOLOW SATO “OOS PS 8482 apurAd-xIg “QE L7H Ne2UUO) AO} Jo Jayspeos ‘ed BuLINO) Jopul|Ad-1No 4 *aytqowsp]O ayy jo yduini4y jerUassa dy) saynyNsuOD YoIyM douUeINpUD pu AyyIqeta2 YIM Anxny puke a]Ays Jo UoNeUIquIOD siyy Afastoaud stquing **° syuazedde aouo ye jou st yBuarys pesani su ‘uBisap jo quowouyas pue aoei3 dy] puke Jo}oUF ay) joaouayIs ay) Jo yuNOD.e uO ‘puewap Asana 0) spuodsas pur aj>eysqo pros Ayaaa9 sjunowns yt se yonuiseur Jed jeyduiniy & st aIqowspIC, ay], *uONOWOdO] Jo poyyau Mau Ajaynjosqe ue jo vonsapyed ayy sapnjour yorym ‘opis Joyjoue st Aepoy jo afiqowspiO oy) Oy Jed JoJOUs yssy JY) WoIy 12 Jo Ar0ys1y ayy Jo ed JayeasB ay) sapnjour yoryM apiys e st Jed JOYOUS yssy DY) 0} JOUIeYD PajaayM OM) dy] WOI] LN&3SSYd GNV LSVd—SuVv9 TIWHdNAIL comicbooks.com