The Wasp — 1896 — page 1042: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page presents "Cupid's Net," a canzonetta (short song) by Richard A. Lucchesi, written for *The Wasp* magazine's Christmas issue. The illustration depicts an elaborately dressed woman surrounded by flying cupids and decorative flourishes, suggesting romantic or amorous themes. The musical composition and visible lyrics ("Ah, what is Cupids net? A web of filmy laces; A trap for a coquette, a trap, a means to show her graces") indicate the piece satirizes romantic entrapment and female coquetry—common satirical targets of the era. The ornate, somewhat exaggerated feminine imagery aligns with period humor mocking romantic pretension and feminine wiles. The Christmas context suggests seasonal romantic comedy.