Make me an offer, gentlemen!
1907
Uncle Sam stands on an auction block, gavel raised high, trying to sell off 'The Philippines' to a crowd of eager, uniformed international bidders. The sign behind the unfortunate man being sold promises he has been 'benevolently assimilated'—a direct quote from President McKinley—mocking the idea that the U.S. could treat a nation like property. Nankivell, a star cartoonist for Puck magazine, used this 1907 illustration to satirize American imperialism and the complex reality of governing a newly acquired territory. It’s a sharp, colorful critique of colonialism dressed up as a lively auction scene.
- Technique
- color lithograph
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