Let Every One Take Care of Himself
date: label: Date made
content: 1833?
name: label: depicted
content: Van Buren, Martin
label: depicted
content: Jackson, Andrew
label: originated character
content: Smith, Seba
label: depicted
content: Blair, Francis Preston
label: maker
content: Imbert and Company
notes: label: Description (Brief)
content: In this undated print, President Andrew Jackson is characterized as a donkey or “Jack”ass , as he “dances” among chicks labeled “branch bank.” This references Jackson’s decision to remove the deposits from the Second National Bank of the United States and distribute them among smaller so-called “pet banks.” Many of the chicks appear to be dead, and a flustered hen labeled “US Bank,” appears to be rushing towards the chaos. In the foreground, “Globe” editor, Francis Preston Blair, lies on a copy of the “Globe,” stating that he is “quite at home in the dung heap.” To the right of the print, Vice President Martin Van Buren is characterized as a fox and approaching the hen from behind saying, “sly is the word.” In the left background are five dogs, chained together and each representing a different Democratic newspaper in the “collar presses.” The dogs are praising Jackson, stating that he is the “greatest and best ass we ever knew.” Jackson demands that Major Jack Downing who is depicted as a rooster and siting on a fence to the right, saying, “sing away Major Downing. This is a capital experiment by the Eternal.” Created by journalist Seba Smith, Downing is a fictional character who came to represent the common man. Jackson felt that removing the deposits was in the best interest of the common man, so by asking Downing to sing, he is promoting Jackson’s views.
label: Description (Brief)
content: The lithographer of this print is Anthony Imbert. Imbert is considered a pioneer of American lithography, but he got his artistic start painting marine scenes inspired by his long imprisonment in England as a naval officer. Upon arriving in America he was commissioned to prepare lithographic plates for illustration, leading to a long career in lithography. He captured life in New York City, and many of his prints are important for historical documentation of the city. Imbert died around 1838 as his wife, Mary Imbert is listed as a widow in that year’s city directory.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: United States: New York, New York City
topic: label: Subject
content: Communication, newspapers
label: Subject
content: Wild Animals
label: Subject
content: Livestock
label: Subject
content: Political Caricatures
label: Subject
content: Pets
label: Subject
content: Birds
label: Subject
content: Glasses
label: Subject
content: Uniforms, Military
label: Subject
content: Dancing
label: Subject
content: Donkeys
label: depicted
content: Jack Downing
setName: label: See more items in
content: Home and Community Life: Domestic Life
label: See more items in
content: Peters Political Prints
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content: Art
label: See more items in
content: Domestic Furnishings
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Harry T. Peters "America on Stone" Lithography Collection
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: DL.60.3411
label: catalog number
content: 60.3411
objectType: label: Object Name
content: Lithograph
label: Object Type
content: Lithograph
physicalDescription: label: Measurements
content: image: 10 in x 15 1/2 in; 25.4 cm x 39.37 cm