The Shipwreck
date: label: Date made
content: n.d.
name: label: depicted
content: Van Buren, Martin
label: depicted
content: Harrison, William Henry
label: depicted
content: Tyler, John
label: depicted
content: Blair, Francis Preston
label: depicted
content: Kendall, Amos
label: depicted
content: Calhoun, John Caldwell
label: depicted
content: Weed, Thurlow
label: depicted
content: Benton, Thomas Hart
label: depicted
content: Woodbury, Levi
label: maker
content: Robinson, Henry R.
notes: label: Description (Brief)
content: This undated print most likely is in reference to the Election of 1840, between incumbent Democratic president, Martin Van Buren and his Whig opponent, William Henry Harrison. In this print, Van Buren is depicted as clinging to the mast of a sinking ship, flying a flag labeled “O.K.,” in an allusion to his campaign as supporters on the campaign trail shortened his nickname of Old Kinderhook to “O.K.” His body is mostly submerged, and he says, “I can hold no longer… curse that Cataline to force me to pass the Treasury Bill. “Cataline” was a nickname for John C. Calhoun, used by his political foes; he worked closely with Van Buren to pass the Independent Treasury Bill that separated the treasury from the government. This was not a favored decision as Van Buren was seen to be responsible for the Panic of 1837 and the resulting widespread economic depression, and it worked against him as he ran for his second term. In the water, are five men: Globe Editor, Francis P. Blair, trusted Democratic advisor, Amos Kendall, South Carolina Senator John C. Calhoun, Missouri Senator Thomas Hart Benton, and Secretary of the Treasury Levi Woodbury. These men were among Van Buren’s closest advisors, and they are all drowning in the realization that Van Buren was going to lose the presidency due in part to their actions. In the top right corner of the print, the heads of Whig Candidate William Henry Harrison, his running mate, John Tyler, and conservative Democrat and political boss, Thurlow Weed are floating, blowing strong gusts of wind at the boat with their mouths. During the election Van Buren faced opposition from both Whigs and conservative Democrats from his own party dismayed by his financial policies, greatly contributing to the success and ultimate victory of William Henry Harrison.
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: Economy
label: Subject
content: Political Caricatures
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.60.3373
label: catalog number
content: 60.3373
objectType: label: Object Name
content: Lithograph
label: Object Type
content: Lithograph
physicalDescription: label: Measurements
content: image: 10 1/2 in x 14 3/8 in; 26.67 cm x 36.5125 cm