The Wasp — 1877 — page 38: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

The top cartoon depicts a Romani ("Gypsy") family encamped outdoors—adults and children gathered under a tree with a horse and wagon visible. This appears to be social satire targeting the Romani people, who faced widespread prejudice and were often stereotyped as vagrants and thieves in 19th-century America. The bottom image, titled "The Miser," shows a grotesquely caricatured miserly figure clutching a money bag by candlelight. This is a stock satirical figure—the archetypal greedy, hoarding miser—likely mocking either a specific wealthy individual or broader social commentary on greed and avarice during this period. Both cartoons employ exaggerated, dehumanizing visual caricature typical of *The Wasp*'s satirical approach.