Life, 1915-01-14 · page 6 of 44
Life — January 14, 1915 — page 6: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is **primarily an advertisement**, not satire or political commentary. It's a full-page ad for The White Company, an automobile manufacturer based in Cleveland, promoting their motor cars. The ad uses the framing device of an art gallery scene (top border) to position the White car as a "masterpiece" worthy of museum display. The accompanying illustration shows an open-air automobile with three occupants. The text emphasizes technical innovations: The White introduced the first mono-block long-stroke engine (1909), left-side drive with center control (1910), and electrical starting and lighting (1911). The ad argues these mechanical advances represent "harmonious perfection" and that "White leadership is a principle." This reflects early 1900s automotive advertising strategy—positioning cars as technological and aesthetic achievements rather than mere transportation.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
THE WHITE — a masterpiece The distinguishing characteristic of a masterpiece is harmonious perfection. Every line in the marble, every color in the picture, every thought in the book, belongs to and blends into the complete creation. An analysis of White Motor Cars—line by line and feature by feature will bring out many thoughts, each one of which will seem to be paramount. The complete elimination of the conventional back of the front seat—always awkward in appearance—through the accomplishment of the finally-perfect streamline body, may impress many people as an unusually important thing. And it is. Yet, in viewing The White the eye is led naturally and easily along until at last the mind holds, as in the beginning, the picture of the complete car. White leadership is a principle . Many mechanical features that are “new” today were perfected and presented in The White long ago. 1909 saw The White with the first mono-bloc, long-stroke, hij hspeed motor—the very type which now is he ded as a sensation. In 1910 The White presented the logical left- side drive with center control, and in 1911 The White introduced electrical starting and light- ing with the tremendous advantage of a non- stallable engine. From time to time other important improve- ments have been brought out, and today The White holds a position peculiar to itself in that mechanical excellence has been matched with external beauty. The latest White Motor Cars are now exhibited by all White dealers. THE WHITE COMPANY CLEVELAND Manufacturers of Gasoline Motor Cars, Motor Trucks and Taxicabs