Stalwart stupidity
1883
Think of this as a 19th-century political meme: a giant snake labeled 'Stalwartism' is getting roasted in a fireplace of 'Government Patronage,' with its tail sticking out of the chimney as a desperate 'Office Seeker.' Artist Friedrich Graetz created this satire for *Puck* magazine to mock the Stalwart faction of the Republican Party, who were infamous for the corrupt 'spoils system' of handing out government jobs to friends. A young 'Independent' voter stands triumphantly with a 'November' scroll, having used the 'Election' axe to decapitate the snake, symbolizing how voters can cut off political corruption at the source.
- Technique
- Chromolithograph
- Material
- Paper