Life — January 1933 — page 5: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Life Magazine, January 4, 1883 - First Issue This is the inaugural cover and editorial page of *Life* magazine. The elaborate illustration frames the title "LIFE" with allegorical figures—cherubs and a winged figure (possibly representing fate or fortune) above a cityscape below, suggesting life's varied experiences. The editorial, titled "What is Life?", presents life philosophically through poetic verse, describing it as "a round of thoughtful dinners," games, "drums and parties," and social pleasures—a characterization reflecting the magazine's intended audience: affluent, leisured New Yorkers. The text establishes *Life*'s editorial mission: publishing humor about "religion, politics, fashion, society, literature, the stage, the stock exchange, and the police station," while maintaining truthfulness and decency. This opening defines *Life* as a publication for urban elites seeking sophisticated social satire.