The Wasp — April 17, 1880 — page 17: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This satirical cartoon, titled "Waiting for the Verdict—The Trial of Spirits by Spare-Wits," depicts demonic or grotesque figures in what appears to be a courtroom or trial setting. The "Moral Code" sidebar lists ten commandments-style rules, likely mocking contemporary moral standards or a specific group's claimed ethics. The cartoon satirizes hypocrisy: the demons appear to be judging or being judged by their own moral code, suggesting the actual perpetrators lack the moral authority they claim. The grotesque caricatures and their "trial" likely critique specific public figures, politicians, or a social movement of the era, though without additional historical context, the precise targets remain unclear. The tone is darkly comedic, employing visual exaggeration typical of 19th-century American satire.