Life — August 19, 1915 — page 6: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis This is primarily a **luxury automobile advertisement**, not political satire. It announces the Locomobile Company's "Closed Coach Work" — high-end car bodies crafted with refined interiors designed by Miss Elsie DeWolfe, a noted decorator. The ad's only satirical element is its opening comparison: the Locomobile positions itself as America's equivalent to three prestigious European cars from England, France, and Italy. This is aspirational marketing — claiming American manufacturing rivals European luxury and craftsmanship. The illustration shows a well-dressed couple with a fashionable automobile and countryside estate, reinforcing the product's elite status. The "$5400 upwards" price tag (substantial in this era) confirms this targets wealthy consumers. There is **no political commentary** here — purely commercial messaging dressed in refined graphic design.