The Wasp — 1877 — page 302: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This satirical cartoon depicts General Ulysses S. Grant as a large, mechanical wasp attacking European figures. The title references Grant's post-presidency European tour (he traveled abroad 1877-1879). The cartoon appears to mock Grant's aggressive demeanor or military reputation through the wasp metaphor—positioning America/Grant as an intimidating insect threatening European powers. The caricatured European figures (one appears labeled, though unclear) seem to represent foreign dignitaries or nations reacting with alarm to the American general's presence. The satire likely critiques either American imperial ambitions, Grant's aggressive foreign policy stances, or contemporary anxieties about American military power abroad. The mechanical, weaponized wasp imagery suggests technological superiority as a threat. The small dog in the foreground's purpose remains unclear from the image alone.