Life — March 17, 1921 — page 31: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is a **automobile advertisement**, not a political cartoon. It promotes the Lafayette, a car manufactured by Lafayette Motors Company in Indianapolis. The page features a photograph of a Lafayette open-air automobile in a scenic outdoor setting, framed by an ornamental border. A small portrait medallion at the top appears to be the Marquis de Lafayette, the French Revolutionary War figure—likely chosen to lend prestige and historical gravitas to the brand name. The advertising copy emphasizes the car's durability, power, and superior engineering, promising it will serve "for many, many years." The listed price of $5,625 indicates this was a luxury vehicle marketed to affluent buyers. The rhetoric reflects early 20th-century automotive marketing that emphasized engineering quality and longevity as selling points.