Life — October 4, 1923 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "A Modern Witch" - Life Magazine, October 1, 1923 This satirical cover depicts a woman riding a broomstick against a starry night sky with a crescent moon. The title "A Modern Witch" suggests commentary on contemporary women, likely referencing the "New Woman" of the 1920s—the flapper era characterized by shortened skirts, bobbed hair, cosmetics, and increased independence. The image appears to criticize or mock these social changes. The broomstick and witch imagery use traditional folklore associations to satirize modern women's liberation and changing social roles as something dangerous or supernatural. This reflects conservative anxieties about women's evolving freedoms during the Jazz Age. The illustration style and composition are typical of Life's satirical covers from this period.