The Uncle Sam Range is an advertising image by Schumacher and Ettlinger produced in 1876 to mark one hundred years of American independence from the UK.
In basic terms it is an advert for a range cooker, but in actual fact it is much more a representation of the times in the USA. The image depicts a celebratory dinner in centenary hall ,Philadelphia, with the now iconic figure of 'Uncle Sam' sitting in the centre. What we see is the early self promotion of America and how far it claims to have come in one hundred years to now lead the world.
This highly patriotic, self celebratory image combines many subtleties to serve a number of purposes;
- Depicts a 'buffoonish' globe.
- Stereotypes the food of other countries on the menu.
- Uncle Sam is a wise and proud character dressed in fine clothes.
- Saloon bar font style and decoration as well as red,white and blue details join the different areas of America together.
The image i feel is aimed particularly at the middle classes, those trying to become elite and the range cooker is therefore marketed as a symbol of success. In a sentence i would say this piece marks the inception of the American Dream.
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