The Wasp — 1891 — page 300: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This cartoon depicts two figures in what appears to be an art studio or sitting room. One figure holds what looks like a portrait or canvas, while the other—appearing disheveled or grotesque—reacts with apparent displeasure. The dialogue references a goat and someone's "cop" (possibly constable), with crude humor about physical appearance and likeness-taking. The caption "A Likeness Spoiled" suggests the satire concerns a failed portrait or caricature. The accompanying text "An Ibsen Diary" discusses dramatist Henrik Ibsen's work and realism in theater. Without clearer identification of the specific individuals being caricatured, the precise political or social target remains unclear, though it likely mocks either artistic pretension or a specific public figure's vanity regarding their appearance.