Life — April 17, 1919 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "His Old Regiment" This 1919 *Life* magazine illustration depicts a dramatic scene titled "His Old Regiment." A woman in classical dress gazes at a military procession visible through windows, while a robed figure (appearing to represent Death or a skeletal specter) stands beside her with arms raised. The image likely comments on World War I's aftermath—specifically the loss of soldiers and the grief experienced by those left behind. The "old regiment" presumably refers to military units decimated by the war, which ended in November 1918. The classical female figure may represent a widow, mother, or bereaved nation. The supernatural figure suggests mortality's presence haunting post-war society. The satire critiques the human cost of military conflict and collective mourning.