Life — February 11, 1897 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis This is the **St. Valentine's Number** cover of *Life* magazine from February 11, 1897. The cover features a cherub (Cupid) carrying an enormous stack of books or letters, floating among clouds within an ornate decorative frame. The cherub appears to struggle under the weight of this load. The satire likely plays on Valentine's Day traditions—specifically the exchange of romantic letters and valentines. By depicting Cupid overwhelmed by a massive pile of correspondence, the illustration humorously suggests the sheer volume of valentine mail circulating during this holiday season. The joke appears to mock either the commercialization of Valentine's Day or the absurdity of romantic letter-writing conventions of the era.