Animal Magnetism
date: label: Date made
content: 1839
name: label: depicted
content: Van Buren, Martin
label: depicted
content: Jackson, Andrew
label: depicted
content: Blair, Francis Preston
label: depicted
content: Kendall, Amos
label: depicted
content: Weed, Thurlow
label: maker
content: Childs, John
label: artist
content: Clay, Edward Williams
notes: label: Description (Brief)
content: This 1839 print is a reference to the upcoming election of 1840. On the left, former President Andrew Jackson is hypnotizing President Martin Van Buren who is seated on a couch with his eyes closed. Hypnotism and mesmerism were popular during this time, and would have been a fashionable practice. To his left is a crown and scepter alluding to the influence of Jacksonian Democracy in his presidency. Jackson asks Van Buren what he sees, and he responds, “they are cheering an elderly man whom they hail as president… their banners are inscribed WHIG PRINCIPLES!!! I see a little man tumbling down a precipice. On his back is a mill stone inscribed Sub Treasury! Oh! Lord. Oh! Lord. Why it is myself.” His vision is predicting a Whig victory in the Election of the 1840 while he and his favored idea of a Sub Treasury fall to their political death. To Van Buren’s other side, New York political boss, Thurlow Weed, favored Democratic advisor, Amos Kendall, and Globe editor, Francis Preston Blair are seemingly unfazed by the vision, asking Van Buren to look into issues regarding them while he is hypnotized.
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 work’s publisher, John Childs, was a New York lithographer, artist, and print colorist active between the years 1836 to 1844. He was also known for his publication of satirical political cartoons.
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: Communication, newspapers
label: Subject
content: Economy
label: Subject
content: Political Parties
label: Subject
content: Political Caricatures
label: Subject
content: Glasses
label: Subject
content: Communication, letter writing
label: Subject
content: Chronology: 1830-1839
label: Subject
content: U.S. National Government, executive branch
setName: label: See more items in
content: Home and Community Life: Domestic Life
label: See more items in
content: Clothing & Accessories
label: See more items in
content: Peters Political Prints
label: See more items in
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.60.3382
label: catalog number
content: 60.3382
objectType: label: Object Name
content: Lithograph
label: Object Type
content: Lithograph
physicalDescription: label: Measurements
content: image: 10 3/4 in x 15 5/8 in; 27.305 cm x 39.6875 cm