Life — May 23, 1918 — page 21: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page contains three separate satirical sketches commenting on post-World War I European conditions: The top sketch depicts "George & Mary" (likely King George V and Queen Mary of Britain) having high tea outdoors, surrounded by large dark shapes suggesting war's devastation. The left panel shows Belgian villagers returning to survive among ruins—referencing Belgium's severe wartime destruction. The bottom sketch mocks the Crown Prince (likely of Germany) being paraded before onlookers, captioned as "thoughtfully" carrying a "silver foot"—likely satirizing German military leadership's survival despite defeat, or perhaps commenting ironically on war reparations and humiliation. The overall theme appears critical of post-war conditions: the persistence of aristocratic privilege amid widespread suffering, refugee devastation, and the questionable outcomes of victory for ordinary people.