New Edition of Macbeth. Bank-Oh 's! Ghost.
date: label: Date made
content: n.d.
name: label: depicted
content: Jackson, Andrew
label: depicted
content: Van Buren, Martin
label: maker
content: Robinson, Henry R.
label: maker
content: Clay, Edward Williams
notes: label: Description (Brief)
content: This print is a commentary on the Bank War, comparing President Martin Van Buren to Shakespeare’s Macbeth. In the play, Macbeth, the main character fearing his eventual removal from the throne, kills his rival Banquo. Later at a gathering of Scottish royalty, the ghost of Banquo appears, startling the guilty Macbeth who exclaims, “Thou canst say I did it. Never Shake thy gory locks at me.” He feels that since he only ordered the murder of Banquo and did not commit it with his own hands, the ghost shouldn’t be haunting him. In this print, Van Buren states something very similar saying, “never shake thy gory locks at me. Thou can’st not say I did it.” He is speaking to the “ghost of commerce,” who is being strangled by the “specie circular” and covered in papers depicting Jackson Administration attempts at ending the Second National Bank of the United States. Similar to Macbeth, Van Buren did not directly have a hand in the murder, but is deeply indicated. Standing with his hand on Van Buren’s shoulder, is former president, Andrew Jackson clothed in a stars and stripes dress. Playing the role of Lady Macbeth, the instigator who in the play encouraged the murders, Jackson downplays Van Buren’s fears and guilt saying “never mind him gentleman, the creature’s scared and has some conscience left.” Jackson is speaking to two men: the one with the mint julep in his hand, tall white hat, and cigar is his mouth representing the cotton planters, and the other holding a glass of gin, with a clay pipe in front of him, toasting "Down with the Bank" represents the Tammany Hall faction of the Democratic Party. Tammany Hall was a political machine in New York City that worked to get Democrats elected to office. The title of this print includes the pun of “Bank-oh’s! Ghost,” solidifying the reference to the classic play.
label: Description (Brief)
content: The lithographer of this print is Edward Williams Clay (1799-1857). Clay was a caricaturist, engraver, lithographer, and etcher, as well as a portrait painter. Before his career as an artist, Clay was admitted to the Philadelphia Bar, but quickly left to pursue art in New York City. After losing his eyesight he retired from art and held minor office in Delaware before his death in December of 1857.
label: Description (Brief)
content: The publisher of this print is Henry R. Robinson (1827-1877). Robinson worked in New York, and had a store to sell his prints. In 1842, he was arrested for selling obscene pictures and books leading to the September 28, 1842 court case, People vs H. R. Robinson found in the District Attorney Indictment Papers, Municipal Archives. He was politically affiliated with the anti-Jackson Whig party which was made obvious by the wig silhouette used in 1838 as an advertising logo for his shop.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: United States: New York, New York City
topic: label: Subject
content: Furnishings
label: Subject
content: Economy
label: Subject
content: Drinking
label: Subject
content: U.S. National Government, executive branch
label: Subject
content: Patriotism and Patriotic Symbols
label: Subject
content: Political Parties
label: Subject
content: Costume
label: Subject
content: Political Caricatures
setName: label: See more items in
content: Home and Community Life: Domestic Life
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content: Clothing & Accessories
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content: Peters Political Prints
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content: Art
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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.60.3427
label: catalog number
content: 60.3427
objectType: label: Object Name
content: Lithograph
label: Object Type
content: Lithograph
physicalDescription: label: Measurements
content: image: 9 1/2 in x 16 in; 24.13 cm x 40.64 cm