Life — September 9, 1915 — page 2: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Omar Cigarettes Advertisement This is primarily a **cigarette advertisement**, not political satire. The page shows an Orientalist scene depicting figures in Turkish/Middle Eastern dress examining pottery vessels in what appears to be a bazaar or workshop setting. The ad quotes Omar Khayyam (the Persian poet), using his name to market "Turkish Blend" cigarettes. It emphasizes exotic origins—tobaccos from Bafra, Ephesus, Xanthi, and Smyrna (Ottoman Empire regions)—combined with Virginia leaf. The imagery trades on early 20th-century Western fascination with "the Orient" as luxurious and mysterious. The price advertised is "20 for 15¢." This represents typical period advertising that used orientalist aesthetics and literary allusions to appeal to consumers seeking sophistication and exotic appeal.