The Wasp — 1890 — page 491: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is a caricature titled "Bancroft, The Historian, and the Fair Manakin(g)" depicting two figures: a tall bearded man (identified as Bancroft, likely the historian) and a smaller figure he's manipulating like a puppet or doll. The cartoon satirizes how Bancroft shapes or controls historical narratives through this smaller figure—the "fair manakin" (manikin, a puppet or small human figure). The crown at the base suggests political power is at stake. The satire appears to criticize Bancroft's historical authority and influence over public perception, suggesting he manufactures or distorts historical truth to serve particular interests. The puppet imagery emphasizes the idea that historical interpretation is being artificially constructed rather than objectively presented.