The Wasp — 1877 — page 319: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This satirical illustration presents five vignettes depicting the five senses, each showing Victorian-era figures in compromising or absurd situations. The central diamond-shaped panel features a man labeled with "BAD BEER & CIGARS" experiencing taste. Surrounding panels show: hearing (people with musical instruments), sight (figures observing something), smell (a man recoiling from urban odors), and touch (a man striking another). The bottom panels include captions like "YOU KNOW HOW IT IS YOURSELF" and "LITTLE BENT." The cartoon satirizes common urban vices and sensory assaults of the era—bad entertainment, poor quality goods, and street violence—suggesting these are universal experiences among the working classes. It's a commentary on degraded quality of life in Victorian cities.