Life — October 9, 1919 — page 11: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "Brothers of the Air" This illustration depicts a winged figure—appearing to be Mercury or a similar mythological messenger god, identifiable by the caduceus (staff with intertwined serpents) in hand—leaping joyfully above ocean waves. An early airplane is visible in the upper left. The caption "Brothers of the Air" suggests this is satirical commentary on aviation as an emerging technology, likely from the early 1900s. The cartoon appears to celebrate or mock humanity's newfound ability to fly, positioning aviators as modern equivalents to classical gods. The mythological framing could be either earnest admiration for aviation's revolutionary potential or gentle satire about society's romantic exaggeration of early aircraft capabilities and pilots. The specific satirical angle—whether praising or mocking—remains somewhat ambiguous without additional context.