The Wasp — 1896 — page 323: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This satirical illustration depicts what appears to be a theatrical or performance scandal. The central figures are women in various states of undress engaged in energetic, provocative movement or dance. On the left, ghostly figures in period dress observe the scene, suggesting commentary on contrasting standards of propriety between eras. The partially legible caption references "basket-ball" being "played in the manner and costume her[e]"—suggesting the cartoon mocks women's athletic performances or their costumes as inappropriately revealing for the period. The artist's signature appears at lower left. This represents *The Wasp's* characteristic satirical humor targeting contemporary social anxieties about women's increasing public visibility, athletic participation, and changing dress codes in late 19th/early 20th-century America.