Life, 1920-09-16 · page 44 of 44
Life — September 16, 1920 — page 44: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is **not a political cartoon or satire**, but rather a **product advertisement** for Pierce-Arrow automobiles, appearing in Life magazine. The image shows a luxury car positioned dramatically in a forest or wooded setting at night, framed by tall trees and atmospheric clouds. The advertisement copy emphasizes the vehicle's capabilities: its powerful Dual Valve Six engine provides reliability on both country roads and city streets, with enough "elasticity and adaptability" to handle rough terrain without difficulty. The marketing pitch appeals to early automotive consumers interested in touring and scenic drives—suggesting that Pierce-Arrow's engineering allows drivers to relax and enjoy landscapes rather than worry about road conditions. This reflects the era when automobiles were becoming leisure vehicles for the affluent classes, capable of venturing beyond urban centers into rural America.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
HE Pierce-Arrow addsa new pleasure to touring, to the country, to beautiful scenery, by the splendid way it copes with country road conditions. It is equally at home on country road or city street. The ample power of the Dual Valve provides the elasticity, the adaptability necessary to make ordinary drawbacks of long distance riding utterly negligible. The inherent safety built into the ministers to that serene state of mind in which scenery can be best enjoyed. comicbooks.Sonml