The Wasp — 1878 — page 143: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This satirical cartoon depicts a winged angelic or allegorical female figure (labeled "WHO'S HER?") confronting two figures on a cliff. One figure holds a document labeled "LIBERTY" and "MONEY," while another—appearing to be a caricatured politician or authority figure wearing a turban (labeled with text including "ABBEY" and "MONEY")—reaches toward the angel figure. The cartoon critiques corruption or hypocrisy: the contrast between Liberty/Money (ideals) and the grasping political figure suggests satire about how those in power exploit or compromise democratic principles for financial gain. The angel's gesture of resistance emphasizes this tension. Without clearer identification of specific individuals or dates, the exact political target remains unclear, though the composition suggests critique of late 19th/early 20th-century American political corruption.