Life, 1911-04-13 · page 44 of 44
Life — April 13, 1911 — page 44: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page is **primarily an advertisement**, not satirical content. It's a Peerless Motor Car Company ad from Life magazine (dated April 13, 1911, based on the header). The illustration shows a touring car parked beneath an ornate Gothic archway resembling a cathedral entrance, with the Manhattan skyline visible behind it. Well-dressed passengers sit in the vehicle. The visual joke is subtle: by framing the automobile within grand architectural styling and positioning it like a religious structure, the ad suggests the car itself is a cathedral-worthy achievement—something to be revered. The text emphasizes engineering refinements (spring construction, motor responsiveness, smooth operation). The header labels "SILENCE" and "COMFORT" reinforce the luxury pitch. This represents early automotive advertising's appeal to affluent buyers through both technical claims and aspirational imagery, positioning the motorcar as a status symbol worthy of fine art presentation.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
College of the ey : City of New York Model 31 Four-Cylinder Thirty Horse-power Touring Car The maximum pleasure of motoring requires the absence of unnecessary vibration, firm but resilient spring construction, a responsive motor, and the assurance of smooth and uninterrupted action through many miles of varying roadways. In these features, no less than in the luxurious appoint- ments of the car, the superiority of the Peerless is readily demonstrated The Peerless Motor Car Company 2449 East 93d Street, Cleveland, Ohio comicbooks.com