Puck — July 10, 1878 — page 16: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is a satirical depiction of Otto von Bismarck, Prussia's chancellor, dressed as a farmer's daughter in a mocking feminized costume. He's feeding various birds and animals, likely representing European nations or political entities that Bismarck manipulated during his tenure. The satire ridicules Bismarck's diplomatic maneuvering—portraying his careful "feeding" of various powers as a domestic, feminized activity rather than serious statecraft. By dressing him as a farmer's daughter performing a trivial household task, *Puck* suggests his realpolitik and power plays were either absurd or that he infantilized international relations. The humor relies on American readers' familiarity with Bismarck's notorious diplomatic scheming in European politics.