The Wasp — 1894 — page 37: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This satirical illustration depicts the social phenomenon of the chrysanthemum flower obsession, likely from the late 19th century. The central figure is a woman carried aloft on a large flower, appearing intoxicated or delirious with enthusiasm. She's surrounded by framed vignettes showing various people—wealthy women, gentlemen, and servants—all engaged with chrysanthemums in different contexts. The satire mocks the fashionable upper-class craze for cultivating and displaying these exotic flowers. The composition suggests how this fad consumed society across class lines. The woman's euphoric pose and the elaborate decorative framing parody the excessive attention and reverence devoted to what was essentially a horticultural trend. The Wasp targets the absurdity of mass social conformity around fleeting fashionable enthusiasms.