Life — December 2, 1920 — page 9: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is a **perfume advertisement**, not a political cartoon. The page features Mary Garden Perfume by Rigaud, a luxury fragrance line distributed by Geo. Borgfeldt & Co. in New York. The advertisement showcases a woman's portrait in a circular frame at top center, surrounded by various Mary Garden beauty and fragrance products—perfume bottles, cold cream, tissue cream, and cosmetics arranged on a dark surface. For modern readers: This represents early 20th-century luxury marketing targeting affluent women. Mary Garden was likely a celebrity endorser (possibly the opera singer of that name), lending prestige to the brand. The lavish product display emphasizes exclusivity and sophistication—typical of high-end cosmetics advertising from this era before strict FDA regulations or truth-in-advertising standards.