June Bugs Squirting
date: label: Date made
content: n.d.
name: label: depicted
content: Van Buren, Martin
label: maker
content: Robinson, Henry R.
notes: label: Description (Brief)
content: This 1839 print most likely depicts Tammany Hall’s political manipulation of the New York Fire Department, though it is unclear what specifically it is referencing. Tammany Hall was a large political machine operating in New York City during this time, famous for influencing the votes of Irish immigrants by serving as a substitute social services agency providing food, heat, and other assistance in exchange for votes. In 1839 the Tammany Hall organization created a number of “paper” fire companies to gain influence on the Board of Foreman and Assistants, and this cartoon is most likely a reference to the controversial election of a new Chief Engineer to the department. The creation of the departments happened in June, leading the public to nickname them “June Bugs.” The “June Bugs” are shown spraying water on a building labeled, “Willis, Nichols, Howe, Timpson, Lee & Co.,” and on their backs are painted symbols of their trades including a trowel, a mortar & pestle labeled “drugs,” a turtle, a wheel, and rail road tracks. A young artist is shown running from the scene with paintbrushes exclaiming, “24 new companies, Mr. Chief, at your service,” solidifying the fabricated nature of the companies. In the left of the print is New York Mayor, Isaac L. Varian, a prominent New York City Democrat and leader of the Tammany organization, overseeing the plan he “recommended in [his] message.”
label: Description (Brief)
content: The lithographer 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: Economy
label: Subject
content: Uniforms, fraternal
label: Subject
content: Fire Fighting
label: Subject
content: Architecture, Commercial Buildings
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.60.3334
label: catalog number
content: 60.3334
objectType: label: Object Name
content: Lithograph
label: Object Type
content: Lithograph
physicalDescription: label: Measurements
content: image: 10 3/8 in x 14 1/2 in; 26.3525 cm x 36.83 cm