Puck — April 9, 1879 — page 5: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is a satirical cartoon from Puck magazine depicting a portly man in formal dress labeled "The Adonis of the Senate." The figure holds a feather fan in one hand and appears to be brandishing a powder container in the other, with an inset showing a cosmetics jar. The satire targets a senator (likely from the late 19th century based on style), mocking him as vain and effeminate by associating him with beauty products and feminine grooming. "Burnside, the Beautiful" in the title suggests the subject concerns appearance over substance. The "Adonis" reference ironically compares the figure to classical ideals of masculine beauty, thereby ridiculing him for prioritizing vanity and personal grooming over serious senatorial duties.