Life — May 20, 1920 — page 7: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis This page is primarily **advertising**, not satire or political commentary. It contains two advertisements for Ruud Hot Water heating systems—an automatic gas water heater marketed as a home convenience product. The illustrations are product advertisements, not political cartoons. The top image shows a faucet dispensing hot water amid clouds (symbolizing steam/heat), while the bottom shows the actual water heater device itself. The ads emphasize modern conveniences: instant hot water "at the turn of any hot-water faucet, morning, noon, and midnight." They highlight benefits for servants and household help, reflecting early 20th-century domestic labor concerns. The manufacturer (Pittsburgh, Pa., with Canadian offices) marketed these as luxury items for homes seeking automated comfort—a standard consumer advertisement of the era, not satirical commentary.