Life — May 31, 1923 — page 2: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis This page is primarily an **advertisement for the Underwood Portable Typewriter**, not a political cartoon. The main image depicts a dramatic, atmospheric scene—appearing to show figures in an underground cavern or tomb (titled "Egypt in the Valley of the Kings" by the artist Arzag)—used as evocative marketing imagery. The advertisement's pitch targets travelers: it encourages tourists to document their journeys by typewriter rather than by hand. The copy emphasizes the machine's portability, durability, and ease of use for recording "impressions" and "glories" while traveling to exotic destinations like Niagara or the Nile. The price is listed as $50. This represents early 20th-century consumer advertising leveraging wanderlust and the appeal of modern technology for leisure travelers.