The Wasp — 1878 — page 283: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This satirical illustration from *The Wasp* magazine presents a central female figure surrounded by caricatured male faces in circular vignettes, each labeled with different beverages: "Milk," "Wine," and "Medicine" are visible. The cartoon appears to satirize men's drinking habits and social types—each caricature likely represents a different character or social class defined by their preferred drink. The ornate, decorative border frames this as social commentary on Victorian-era masculinity and alcoholism. The central woman, dressed in period attire, seems to observe or judge these various male "types," suggesting commentary on how drink defines or reveals male character. Without identifying specific historical figures, the cartoon clearly critiques 19th-century drinking culture and male social behavior through exaggerated physiognomy typical of *Wasp*'s satirical style.