Setting ’em off
1907
Frank Nankivell’s 1907 cartoon 'Setting ’em off' blends political satire with vibrant, almost Art Nouveau-style energy to critique the corruption of the Gilded Age. A giant pencil lights the fuses on a ring of dynamite sticks, each labeled with a corrupt figure like 'Railroad Pres.,' 'Financier,' 'Land Grafter,' and the hilariously specific 'Nature Faker'—a reference to Theodore Roosevelt’s real-life crusade against writers who fabricated animal stories. The radiating lines create a sense of explosive impact, portraying the 'trust-busting' President's exposure of these 'undesirable citizens' as a literal blast that blows their reputations to smithereens.
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