The Wasp, 1879-09-27 · page 10 of 18
The Wasp — September 27, 1879 — page 10: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Political Cartoon Analysis: "Curney Excepted" This satirical engraving depicts a group of men gathered beneath a tree, apparently receiving judgment or punishment from an ape-like figure above them. The caption "CUR(NEY) EXCEPTED" suggests this is political commentary about someone named Curney being excluded from whatever fate befalls the others. The style and composition suggest this is 19th-century American political satire, likely targeting specific political figures or groups. The ape imagery was a common (and deeply problematic) satirical device of that era for depicting opponents or rival political groups as base or primitive. Without additional context about *The Wasp* magazine's publication date and contemporary political circumstances, I cannot definitively identify which specific figures or events this cartoon references.