The Wasp — 1889 — page 274: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This cartoon depicts a woman seated precariously on a throne balanced atop what appears to be a wooden beam or plank. The throne itself sits among ornate, chaotic imagery featuring multiple caricatured figures with exaggerated facial features—suggesting disarray and instability in governance or society. The text references "Boss Buckley affects his visual appearance but he see is becoming shaky," indicating this likely critiques a specific political figure's (possibly Boss Buckley's) uncertain hold on power. The woman on the throne appears to represent either a political position or authority figure whose position is unstable and threatened by the tumultuous forces beneath her. The overall message suggests political instability, corruption, or the precarious nature of power during this period of American politics.