OUGD401 // Critical Studies Image Analysis

Savile Lumley - "Daddy, What did YOU do in the great war? 1915

Schumacher & Ettlinger, New York - "The Uncle Sam Range" 1876

The purpose of both images is to use political, social and personal feelings to instruct a specific target audience (predominantly male) to do be a better person through and be a part of their countries history. When looking deeper into the ways in which these two images communicate the instruction, differences in mood and language become apparent but both the social and historical contexts are displayed in both images in with patriotism.


Whilst the Schumacher & Ettlinger image uses over the top direct referencing, loud and an unsubtle approach, Lumley uses guilt and simplicity to convey the message. The organisation of the Schumacher & Ettlinger is relying on the target audience to be central and the advertised product cropped out of shot which is unusual for this period, the eye is then drawn to features surrounding the male allowing for representations, jokes and feelings to be communicated. The font is used on purpose to relate to the saloon life of the fast growing wild west and has capital serif letters on the "U" and "S" in "Uncle Sam" relate to the "US" in USA.


The font that Lumley uses however is somewhat less vibrant and relates to the daughter speaking to her clearly regretful father. The artwork is clearly presented in the future tense, life is glorified by Lumley, wealthy times and good health is shown in what life is like after the war. Britain maintain an image of hope, glory and assumption that things will be fine, victory will be certain in this image. Politics is then brought in to the frame due to the time where the government was not con-scribing by force, they were simply relying on the good will and nature of British men and women to join the forces. The italicised hand rendered font suggests the daughter asks the father in a interested but almost sarcastic and emasculating tone "Daddy, what did YOU do in the Great War?"
The young son is depicted as being interested in warfare and references of England are present in the Beef eaters he is playing with. At this point you can see that there is an emasculation of the English man from both son and daughter.


Schumacher & Ettlinger provide a similar feeling but in a much more obvious way, life in the present and immediate future is improved by having the cooker. Any true American men buying the cooker  have a lifestyle depicted in the poster.  The man is strong and commanding and has an obedient wife bringing over glorious food and therefore assures wealth by having the cooker. The eagle represents freedom and backed up in this term when positioned next the young, up and coming "children" by the names of "Dixie", "West" and "England". This was in the time of the gold rush where freedom, wealth and property were rife for those seeking it. By owning this cooker you are made to feel a part of this movement.


The Centenary of America is shown in the clock above the cooker, it is to celebrate the success and fast pace of improvement to peoples lives at this time, one then moves to the text "Feeding the world by aid of The Uncle Sam Range" whereby a large list of countries are dining in Americas wealthy home.


Within the background of both images there are blatant references to pride in country, the stars of the US states are found on the carpets, the stripes on the curtains, The central male figure wearing stars and stripes with the Declaration of Independence hung behind him on the wall is mirrored almost in the red rose in the curtains and the Fleur Der Li's in the classic British arm chair.