Life — March 22, 1883 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Life Magazine, March 22, 1883 This is the cover/masthead for Life magazine's first volume, number 12. The large decorative letters "LIFE" dominate the center, surrounded by elaborate Victorian-era ornamental artwork featuring cherubs, angels, and classical imagery. The publication details indicate it was issued every Thursday for ten cents per copy, published at the Life Office on 1155 Broadway in New York. It was copyrighted by J. A. Mitchell in 1883. The ornate artistic style is typical of 1880s American satirical publications. However, this particular page contains no identifiable political cartoon or specific satirical content—it's primarily the publication's title page and masthead design, establishing the magazine's brand identity and distribution information for readers.