Life — February 16, 1922 — page 11: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "When Love Was Young: The tale of an ancient Valentine" This is a humorous comic strip showing two primitive, hairy figures (appearing to represent early humans or cavemen) engaged in courtship rituals. The narrative progresses through eight panels depicting increasingly chaotic romantic gestures—from presenting flowers and hearts, through playful fighting, to more destructive behavior involving clubs and scattered debris. The satire appears to be commenting on the timeless, primal nature of romantic love and courtship, suggesting that despite civilization's progress, human romantic behavior remains fundamentally unchanged from our "caveman" ancestors. The joke is that elaborate Valentine's traditions are merely modern refinements of basic animal instinct—the fundamental messiness and chaos of love transcends all eras.