The Wasp — 1894 — page 400: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This satirical illustration from *The Wasp* (May 19, 1894) mocks the intrusive attention actresses received from San Francisco's wealthy social elite. The cartoon depicts a bedridden actress being visited by nobility and aristocrats wearing crowns, while scattered around her are calling cards and notes—including one reading "The Hook Never Leaves My Side" and another about "a millionaire lost his head over me." The satire targets how prominent actresses were constantly pursued, interviewed, and harassed by society's upper classes seeking attention or romantic involvement. The image suggests these women were treated as objects of fascination rather than professionals, their private lives invaded by relentless social pressure. The caption emphasizes this burden of "constantly" being pursued.