Life, 1896-01-02 · page 1 of 20
Life — January 2, 1896 — page 1: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Life Magazine Cover Analysis - January 2, 1896 This is a New Year's themed cover illustration featuring an elderly bearded man (likely Father Time or Old Man 1895) bidding farewell to a young winged woman representing 1896. The artistic style is allegorical rather than political satire. The composition shows the outgoing year symbolically handing off to the incoming year—a common journalistic convention for New Year's issues. The woman's angelic wings and youthful appearance contrast with the aged, weary figure of the departing year, suggesting optimism and renewal associated with the new calendar year. The "NEW YEAR No." notation and decorative lettering confirm this is celebratory rather than satirical in intent, serving primarily as festive holiday cover art for Life's January 2 issue.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
VOLUME XXVII. NEW YORK, JANUARY 2, 1896. re!) NUMBER 679. Entered at tbe New York Post Office as Second-Class Mail Matier Copyright, 86, by Mircuernt & Mintes comicbooks.com