Life — June 13, 1912 — page 2: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis This page is primarily an advertisement for the Detroit Electric automobile, not political satire. The ad depicts an early 1900s electric car and targets wealthy male consumers ("The Gentleman's Town Car"). The illustration shows a man driving through countryside, emphasizing the vehicle's reliability, speed, and ease of operation—five speeds controlled by one steering lever. The ad highlights practical advantages: no hills present difficulties, it's noiseless and colorless, and ideal for business or pleasure use. The accompanying pastoral landscape scene with leisurely figures suggests electric cars as symbols of modern gentlemanly leisure and status. This reflects the pre-Model T era when electric vehicles competed with gasoline automobiles as luxury transportation for affluent buyers.