Life — December 26, 1912 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is the cover illustration by Coles Phillips for Life magazine's "Widows' Number" issue. The artwork depicts a fashionably dressed widow in a dark suit and hat, riding a spirited rearing horse while holding a riding crop. The woman appears elegant and assertive rather than grief-stricken. The satire likely plays on the concept of wealthy widows—specifically their newfound independence and social freedom following their husbands' deaths. Rather than portraying widowhood as a period of mourning and restriction, Phillips shows an active, commanding figure in control of a powerful animal, suggesting liberated agency. The "Widows' Number" designation indicates this was a special issue focused on humorous commentary about widows' social roles and circumstances in 1912.