The Wasp — 1891 — page 364: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This satirical cartoon depicts an American figure (caricatured as a "hog") being presented to German imperial officials at the Brandenburg Gate. The American representative holds a ceremonial orb and scepter, offering deference to a German military officer labeled "Emperor" and other German dignitaries in full regalia. The satire critiques American subservience or capitulation to German imperial power. The "hog" imagery suggests the American is being treated as livestock or something beneath the Germans—a pointed insult about America's diplomatic position. The formal Brandenburg Gate setting emphasizes German power and authority. The cartoon likely reflects tensions between the United States and Germany during a period of German imperial expansion, though the specific historical moment remains unclear without dating information.