The Wasp — 1877 — page 357: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This satirical cartoon depicts the social custom of New Year's calling—wealthy people making brief social visits to acquaintances' homes. The left side shows "New Year's Calls" with cherubs (labeled 1-6) engaged in various activities: socializing, drinking, leaving cards. The right side contrasts this frivolous tradition with classical/allegorical figures—horses, warriors, and elaborate imagery suggesting grandeur or historical importance. The satire likely mocks the superficiality and exhausting nature of New Year's social obligations among the wealthy and fashionable classes. The juxtaposition of trivial social rituals against grander themes suggests The Wasp's critique of how society prioritizes empty social conventions over substance. The cartoon's tone is skeptical and gently mocking of upper-class pretension.