The Wasp — 1877 — page 328: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

The main cartoon depicts two figures in what appears to be a dispute over clothing—specifically a stone or trinket. One figure (appearing to be a man in formal dress) gestures dismissively while another (appearing feminine, in a long dress) holds up an item. The accompanying dialogue discusses whether the item should be worn publicly, with one party insisting it must be returned. The exact satirical target is unclear from the image alone, but the text references debates about women's public dress, propriety, and marital authority—suggesting this mocks contemporary disputes over women's clothing choices or fashion standards. The stone's "insufficiently set" quality may allude to a specific scandal or social controversy, but specific identities of the figures cannot be determined from the visible content.