Friday 6 November 2009

CRITICAL IMAGE STUDIES ANALYSIS

The Uncle Sam Range (1876)














The Uncle Sam Range is an advertising piece, by Schumacher and Ettlinger, for the oven cooker which is featured in the image.

This piece is built up using lots of heavily patriotic symbolism showing itself as proud to be American. Right in the centre is Uncle Sam, the metaphor, father figure representing America, as well as the colour scheme to the bald eagle featured twice.

What we can see at the dinner table is 'The World' sitting, reading the menu, or bill of fare as it was then. This menu shows food from all over the world- it is being quite racist as it shows countries such as China eating things like Birds Nests and Grasshoppers. This is clearly linked to the cooker being sold but then at the same time, trying to show off America as just being so advanced- so much more civilised unlike what they think China eats.

The World's face is actually coming out from Africa, and looks quite silly, and not lifelike as the others are. The three children in the picture seemed to be sniggering, laughing at the world. We can see their names on them; Dixie meaning Southern, West (of America), and New England. New England is being portrayed as a girl, subtly mocking England as a girl. This shows social and historical context- this image was made 100years after America gained independence from the British. This is also featured on the clock, with just two dates on it- gives the impression its a celebration, America's 100year birthday, and again showing how proud it should be as a country, selling The American Dream.

I think that the poster is aimed at everyone, there is an awful lot of symbolism used throughout the illustration, this would be extremely well suited for all those who couldn't read. There isn't much type used, and the font chosen could be interpreted by those who could read or not- a very Western style font, showing a typical America and being very bold and strong.


Savile Lumley (1915)

The general purpose of this image is to show, that is you fight in the war your children will be proud of you. It was produced in the second year of the First World War, but is depicted as after. It is only the second year, but already phrased as The Great War. This is important as straight away the poster is aimed at You, young males and you will be fighting in a war that will go down in history- this is not just any war, it means something.

To me it seems as the image is working on the idea of guilt tripping the viewer into thinking they have to, you can see the children looking up to their Father. The fact that the girl has this book in front of her it gives the impression she might be learning about this Great War at school, and wondering exactly what the question on the poster says.

This poster needs to try and convince people to volunteer to fight, they needed more people- so perhaps this illustration is aimed at middle class men, rather than those of working class who would go straight away for the money.

The image is set in the future and leaves it open as to whether or not he fought in the war or not. The poster seems to say, you will have a cosy lifestyle in the future but will you deserve it or not.

Throughout the image there are a lot of elements that have clearly been thought out a great deal to show plenty of patriotic imagery, a lot more subtle than that of Uncle Sam's Range. The boy on the floor is playing with toy soldiers, not those that would be fighting in the war though- those that are outside Buckingham palace, protecting the Queen, fighting for your country, for your Queen. We can see the red roses on the curtains, a clear sign of British Patriotism, as does the upholstery on the couch. The font chosen is a very traditional one, one that is very personal and homey. Representing how the child's tone of voice might be, a very close bond, with the touch of 'Daddy'.