Life, 1921-02-17 · page 2 of 34
Life — February 17, 1921 — page 2: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page is primarily **advertising**, not satire or political commentary. It's a full-page ad for The Prudential Insurance Company of America (home office in Newark, N.J.). The mural artwork depicts an allegorical scene with a central female figure labeled "Prudence or Security" on a throne, surrounded by floating symbolic figures representing virtues (Temperance, Increase, Order, Thrift, Foresight, Constancy). Below them are silhouettes of working people—carpenters, electricians, fishermen, farmers, etc. The message is straightforward corporate messaging: insurance provides security and protection for workers through prudent financial planning. The classical allegorical style and list of protected occupations aims to make insurance seem both noble and universally beneficial. The headline "Are You Insured?" is a direct sales pitch.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
0 UTASSY, Secretary From mural decoration by E. H. Blashfield at Home Office of The Prudential Insurance Company. Increase - Foresight - Constancy Thrift - Order - Temperance These Lead the On a throne in the center is Prudence or Security, holding a shield, emblem of protec- tion, and an hour-glass as monitor that man’s days are numbered. Under her cloak she shelters the helpless—those too old and too feeble to work. Above are floating symbolic figures,—Tem- perance holds the bit; Increase, an oak branch People to Security indicative of great things from little; Order, a tablet and stvlus; Thrift, a distaff; and Fore- sight, a lamp trimmed and burning; Con- stancy, a mariner’s needle. Below are some of the protected people: Carpenter, Electrician, Fisherman, Brick- layer, Fireman, Railroadman, Farmer, Shon girl, Sewing girl, Clerk, Soldier, Sailor, ete. This beautiful picture typifies the great protective principle of The Prudential Are You Insured ? The Prudential Insurance Company of America Incorporated under the laws of the State of New Jersey FORREST F. DRYDEN, President HOME OFFICE, NEWARK, N. J. comicbooks.com