"The Coming Season", an 1870 cartoon satirizing the London social "season", as printed or reprinted in Harper's Bazar magazine.

The main theme is young upper-class women (and some not-so-young) determined to find a husband during the social events (balls etc.) of the season. Vignettes include coming "out"; being presented at court; mothers on the hunt for an eligible matrimonial "catch" for their daughters, especially among the scions of nobility; a girl triumphantly throwing aside her books on being promoted from the schoolroom to the ballroom; changing fashions in artificial hair-buns, etc.

Captions in image:

• Depictions of five women:
  • "Coming out"
  • "Came out last Season"
  • "Will conquer or Die"
  • "Didn't come out yesterday"
  • "Not shelved yet" (examining herself critically in mirror)
• Depictions of two mothers:
  • "The Dowager's Stud Book" (poring over PEERAGE book listing aristocratic heirs)
  • "Four girls to commoners... the fifth must have a coronet." [i.e. of nobility]
• "Engines of war" (beautifying implements)
• " A propos de bottes" (rummaging through drawers, big pile of shoes on the floor)
• "A royal Salute" (deep curtsey as one is formally "presented" to royalty)