The Wasp — 1892 — page 132: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This satirical cartoon from *The Wasp* (August 13, 1892) presents a military figure in the central portrait, surrounded by caricatured "satellites"—smaller figures engaged in various activities around him. The title references the planet Mars and its moons, using astronomical language as a metaphor for political power structures. The surrounding vignettes depict scenes labeled "Beer," "Soc" (likely "Society"), "Hill," and "Camp Columbus," suggesting the central figure commands influence over different social and political spheres. The military uniform with elaborate epaulettes and decorations emphasizes authority and rank. The overall message appears to satirize how powerful political or military figures attract various hangers-on and interests orbiting around them—a commentary on patronage, corruption, or political influence networks of the Gilded Age period.