Life — April 22, 1915 — page 2: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis This page is primarily **a cigarette advertisement**, not political satire. It advertises "Rameses" cigarettes by Stephano Bros., marketed as "The Aristocrat of Cigarettes" and promoted as the "Largest Selling 20¢ Cigarette." The ad features an ornate decorative border with Egyptian-style motifs (lotus flowers, hieroglyphic-like designs) surrounding the product name and an image of an open cigarette box labeled "Rameses II." The Egyptian theme references the historical pharaoh Rameses II, likely chosen to suggest luxury and antiquity. The advertisement emphasizes availability in bulk "Week End" tins of 100 cigarettes. This is straightforward commercial advertising with no discernible political or social satire—it's simply a vintage tobacco product promotion typical of early 20th-century magazine advertising.