The Wasp — 1892 — page 101: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This appears to be a satirical piece about **Dr. Cogswell**, identified by the book he holds labeled "Record of Good Deeds." The cartoon depicts an elaborate, fantastical cityscape behind him featuring absurdly tall structures, peculiar fountains, and whimsical figures—suggesting his imagined or fabricated accomplishments. The joke seems to be that Dr. Cogswell is presenting an exaggerated, implausible record of charitable works or social contributions. The mechanical/impossible architecture in the background implies his claims are fantastical rather than genuine. The horse, rope, and pulley system in the foreground may suggest he's being used or manipulated. The cartoonist (signed "Saalburg") is likely mocking Cogswell's self-promotion or inflated claims to philanthropic achievement—a common Gilded Age critique of wealthy individuals presenting false public personas.