Life, 1923-01-18 · page 35 of 36
Life — January 18, 1923 — page 35: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a promotional page celebrating **Life magazine's 40th birthday** in 1923. The cherubs and cupids surrounding the central poem are whimsical, classical references to youth and fertility—playing on the pun that despite being "forty," the magazine remains "youthful still and feeling sporty." The cherubs carry objects suggesting Life's content and appeals: top hats (sophistication), wings (freedom/flight), and musical instruments (entertainment). Their song urges readers to use the subscription coupon below to "loop the loop"—a contemporary phrase for taking action/committing. The overall tone is lighthearted self-promotion: Life positions itself as eternally young and vital, not aged or stodgy. The artwork style and cherub imagery reflect the magazine's satirical, illustrative character. This is essentially a birthday advertisement wrapped in classical allusion and gentle humor, encouraging subscriptions at $5.00 yearly.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Forty! forty! we are forty! Youthful still and feeling sporty. Age from Mirth shall never wean us! Downy cupids, babes of Venus, Drawn by special invitation Grace our birthday celebration. See them blithely hither winging! Hear the little rascals singing: “Look below and see that coupon For your pen to loop the loop on!” Hear, oh, hear their joyful hymn pulse: “Don't delay! Obey that Impulse!’ age Sic FER LIFE, 598 Madison Avenue, New York | One Year, $5.00. (Canadian, $5.80; Foreign, $6.60.) > comicbooks.com