The Wasp — 1878 — page 302: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This appears to be a satirical illustration from *The Wasp* magazine depicting a nightmarish scene labeled "DREAMS." The central figure is a sleeping man, likely a political or social figure of the era, experiencing a vivid nightmare. The dream sequence shows chaotic activity: demons and fantastical creatures swirl above, while what appear to be political or social commentary elements surround him. A figure labeled "DREAMS" (possibly a goblin or imp) points or gestures at the sleeping man. Without clearer text or dated context, the specific political targets remain unclear. However, the imagery suggests anxieties about corruption, chaos, or threatened institutions—common *Wasp* themes. The engraver's signature reads "KELLER." The overall effect satirizes someone's fears or guilty conscience through allegorical nightmare imagery.