The Wasp — 1887 — page 149: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This satirical cartoon depicts a courtroom scene where a man in formal attire sits at what appears to be a lawyer's or judge's table, gesturing toward a jury box filled with anthropomorphic animals—goats, donkeys, and other creatures. The jury box is labeled "JURY BOX." The satire mocks the quality of jurors in the legal system, suggesting that actual juries consist of foolish or incompetent people—hence why they're depicted as animals rather than rational humans. This reflects period skepticism about jury trials and ordinary citizens' ability to render fair justice. The well-dressed official's exasperated expression reinforces the cartoon's criticism of the jury system as fundamentally flawed.