Explosion of Biddle & Cos. Congress Water Fount
date: label: Date made
content: 1834
name: label: depicted
content: Jackson, Andrew
label: originated character
content: Smith, Seba
label: depicted
content: Clay, Henry
label: depicted
content: Calhoun, John Caldwell
label: depicted
content: Biddle, Nicholas
label: depicted
content: Webster, Daniel
label: maker
content: Imbert, Anthony
notes: label: Description (Brief)
content: This 1836 print depicts the figurative destruction of the Second National Bank of the United States following its charter being revoked by President Andrew Jackson. On the left, key supporters of the bank including Kentucky Senator Henry Clay, former Vice President John C. Calhoun, Massachusetts Senator Daniel Webster, and President of the Second National Bank of the United States, Nicholas Biddle, are being tossed in the air by an explosion. Objects were also sent flying, including a piece of paper labeled “American System,” referring to Clay’s ideas about the treasury. On the right, Jackson sits in a chair with a barometer or clock at his feet, casually smoking a pipe, and speaking with fictional character, Major Jack Downing. Created by journalist Seba Smith, Downing symbolized the common man. In this print, Downing represents the interests of the common man that Jackson felt he was protecting by revoking the bank’s charter. Downing lists Jackson’s accomplishments against his foes, asking, “How! How! How?!” Jackson replies, “Aye, Aye, Major Downing they thought they’d give us a dose of Congress Water, but they found what we’re bent on.” Behind Jackson is a stack of five boxes containing a “foundation for a national bank,” and millions of dollars in “Deposites [sic],” as well as patriotic symbols such as the seal of the United States, and a woman in classical garb holding a flag pole topped with a “Liberty Cap,” representing “Liberty.” “Liberty’s” flag pole is flying a flag labeled “Public confidence in Public funds,” symbolizing Jackson’s idea that a public money should belong to people and that withholding it in a national bank is unconstitutional. The columns holding up the veranda Jackson is seated on are labeled, “Pennsylvania,” “Virginia,” “New York,” and “Georgia,” most likely referring to the so called pet banks that Jackson chose to deposit funds in following the revocation of the bank charter.
label: Description (Brief)
content: The lithographer of this print is Anthony Imbert. Imbert is considered a pioneer of American lithography, but he got his artistic start painting marine scenes inspired by his long imprisonment in England as a naval officer. Upon arriving in America he was commissioned to prepare lithographic plates for illustration, leading to a long career in lithography. He captured life in New York City, and many of his prints are important for historical documentation of the city. Imbert died around 1838 as his wife, Mary Imbert is listed as a widow in that year’s city directory.
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: Glasses
label: depicted
content: Liberty
label: depicted
content: Eagles
label: Subject
content: Games
label: depicted
content: Jack Downing
label: depicted
content: Columbia
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.60.3386
label: catalog number
content: 60.3386
objectType: label: Object Name
content: Lithograph
label: Object Type
content: Lithograph
physicalDescription: label: Measurements
content: image: 10 5/8 in x 17 in; 26.9875 cm x 43.18 cm