Life — December 28, 1916 — page 2: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis This is **not a cartoon or satire**, but rather a **straightforward advertisement** for Haut Sauternes wine by Barton & Guestier, a French wine merchant from Bordeaux. The ad promotes their 1909 Haut Sauternes as "the fashionable wine for luncheon," emphasizing its suitability for upscale entertaining at home, hotels, or clubs. The elegant bottle design and formal layout reflect early 20th-century luxury marketing conventions. The "B&G" branding appears prominently. The text promises that serving this wine will "add distinction to the entertainment" at social gatherings—a common marketing appeal to aspirational consumers concerned with appearing sophisticated and refined. This represents typical Life magazine advertising from the pre-Prohibition era.