Image analysis essay 16-11-10

Image analysis essay between ‘The Uncle Sam Range' (1876) advertising image by Shumacher & Ettlinger and ‘Daddy, what did YOU do in the war?’ Poster by Saville Lumley (1915)

These two pictures visually are very different from one another, but they do share a very patriotic theme to them. Schmacher and Ettlingers’ is very much more visually patriotic than Lumleys’, with the red, white and blue plastered through out the painting from the curtains, floor, walls and clothing of the subjects. Also the Philadelphia Centennial Hall showing through the window. Lumleys’ is a little subtler with its approach, there’s a print of the fleur-de-lis on the armchair and the English red rose printed on the curtains, but as an advertisement to recruit new soldiers the patriotic feels is there.

The text used in Lumleys’ poster is an important part of the message trying to be portrayed. ‘Daddy, what did YOU do in the great war?’ shows that the picture is set in the future after World War 1, already being branded as a huge historical event, the ‘Great War’. The script font used gives it a personal relationship between the children and their father. Their inquiry to what their father did during the war, suggests the children’s pride of their fathers participation in the war. You, is underlined and in capitols which is a message directed at the viewer, asking them to put themselves in the fathers position, what would they be able to say in the future, would they be able to talk about it with pride of self achievement and participation, or feel guilt and embarrassment for not wanting to protect their country? A simple but meaningful way to encourage men to enroll in the forces. Schmacher and Ettlingers’ text reminds of an early font used in the American Wild West, a time of prosperity and opportunity. This adds to the images portrayal of wealth associated with this cooker, it’s portrayed as an item for the middle to up classes, but as if by buying this cooker you’re buying the American dream, regardless of social class.

The racial element added to Schmacher and Ettlingers’ painting, shown by the black boy cooking the food (although it’s a mans world, and the women is still serving it), and the bill that the caricature, the face of Africa that’s not important enough to have a real face is reading, shows a very primitive list of food that the rest of the world eats (Ireland simply eats potatoes), emphasizing Americas supposed cultural superiority to the rest of the world. The clock is also relevant as it is depicting a hundred years of American supremacy, from 1776, the date of independence, through to 1876.

The scene of Lumleys’ image, a rosy family lifestyle with the girl reading on the fathers lap and the boy playing toy soldiers at his feet, sets an impression that all will be fine after the war and troops would come back unscathed from the front line. Making it not as hostile a place as potential troops were imagining. With the English rose on the curtains and family life, one would think of Queen and country and family and want to protect them all.

506 words