Life — August 2, 1917 — page 7: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is a title page for the magazine *Life*, featuring an illustration by Otto Cushing labeled "The Spirit of the Red Cross." The image depicts an angelic female figure (personifying the Red Cross) attending to a wounded soldier lying on the ground. The soldier appears injured or dying, with the angel cradling or comforting him. The setting includes rocky terrain and architectural ruins, suggesting a battlefield or war zone. This appears to be **wartime propaganda or charitable appeal imagery**, likely from either World War I or II era, promoting the Red Cross organization's humanitarian mission to aid wounded soldiers. The allegorical representation—using an angelic figure to embody the Red Cross's compassionate spirit—was common in early-to-mid 20th century American periodicals to encourage support for relief organizations and military causes.