The Wasp — 1893 — page 40: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page contains two cartoons satirizing American social hierarchy and pretension, likely from the late 19th or early 20th century. The **lower cartoon** shows well-dressed men in formal attire arranged in descending order of importance or wealth, appearing to bow or genuflect before figures of greater status—a visual hierarchy of social deference. The **upper cartoon** depicts a contrasting scene: people in more casual dress, seemingly enjoying leisure or entertainment, suggesting the gap between wealthy elites and ordinary citizens. The caption references "the Columbian Idea," likely alluding to American democratic ideals versus actual social stratification. The satire critiques how American society claims equality while maintaining rigid class distinctions—wealthy men literally bowing to those above them undermines claims of egalitarianism. The magazine's title, "The Wasp," suggests pointed social criticism typical of 19th-century satirical publications.