The Wasp — 1892 — page 236: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This 1892 satirical cartoon depicts St. Patrick holding four large shamrocks as human heads, labeled with names identifying prominent California figures (likely political or business leaders of the era, though the specific identities are unclear from the image alone). The cartoon's title and caption—"St. Patrick—I knew they grew these four-leaf shamrocks very big in California, but, faith, I never saw one before with such a split in the(?))"—suggests a joke about California producing unusually large or malformed shamrocks, serving as coded criticism of these four men. The background shows various California landmarks (Woodward Gardens, Swedish Monument House, Grand Opera House, a Donation Museum) and crowds, implying these figures are prominent in San Francisco society. The exact nature of the "split" criticism remains unclear without identifying the individuals.