[Weighed and Found Wanting]
date: label: Date made
content: n.d.
name: label: depicted
content: Jackson, Andrew
label: depicted
content: Van Buren, Martin
label: depicted
content: Blair, Francis Preston
label: depicted
content: Tallmadge, Nathaniel P.
label: depicted
content: Clay, Henry
label: maker
content: Dacre, Henry
label: maker
content: Robinson, Henry R.
notes: label: Description (Brief)
content: This undated print is most likely from 1839 as it depicts Kentucky Senator Henry Clay’s attempt to get the Whig Party’s presidential nomination for the election of 1840. In this print, Democratic President Martin Van Buren and Clay are depicted as sitting on opposite sides of a suspended scale. These two men were seen as the front runners for the election, but ultimately Clay lost the nomination to William Henry Harrison. The title of this print, Weighed and Found Wanting is a biblical reference found in the Book of Daniel, meaning that one’s days of reign are numbered and would soon to be brought to an end. The Whig publisher of this print, Henry R. Robinson, is speculating that Clay will outweigh Van Buren and end his reign as president. This is represented by “Globe” editor Francis Preston Blair seated at his right, encouraging Van Buren to add weight to his pockets. New York Senator Nathaniel P. Tallmadge stands beside Clay, representing his and other conservative Democrats’ decision to back Whigs over Jacksonian Democrats. Van Buren and the Democratic Party ultimately lost to the Whigs in the election of 1840, and conservative Democrats backing the Whigs greatly contributed to the outcome.
label: Description (Brief)
content: The lithographer of this print is Henry Dacre. Dacre was born in England, but worked for the lithographer, P.S. Duval in Philadelphia from 1847 to 1850.
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: World
topic: label: Subject
content: Economy
label: Subject
content: Political Parties
label: Subject
content: U.S. National Government, executive branch
label: Subject
content: U.S. National Government, legislative branch
label: Subject
content: Glasses
label: Subject
content: State Government
label: Subject
content: Furnishings
label: Subject
content: Political Caricatures
label: Subject
content: Walking
label: Subject
content: Communication, newspapers
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.60.3454
label: catalog number
content: 60.3454
objectType: label: Object Name
content: Lithograph
label: Object Type
content: Lithograph
physicalDescription: label: Measurements
content: image: 9 5/8 in x 15 in; 24.4475 cm x 38.1 cm