The Old Lion and the Cock What Won't Fight.
date: label: Date made
content: n.d.
name: label: depicted
content: Jackson, Andrew
label: depicted
content: Louis Philippe King of France
label: maker
content: unknown
notes: label: Description (Brief)
content: This 1836 print is in response to President Andrew Jackson’s ongoing negotiations with France to claim monetary compensation for French spoliation (unjust seizing) of American vessels dating to the Napoleonic Wars. During the Napoleonic Wars (1803 to 1815), France, ruled by Napoleon Bonaparte, and their allies, engaged in a series of major conflicts as an extension of the French Revolution. The main target of these conflicts was Great Britain and their allies, but American merchant ships were often damaged by the French Navy. Negotiations to ratify these marine losses began during the war, but rather than helping, they are partially to blame for starting the War of 1812. Dealings with France regarding this issue were at a stalemate, but early in his first term Jackson proposed the Franco-American Treaty of 1831, calling for France to pay twenty five million francs to the United States to cover the spoliation claims from American merchants. Following this, France led by King Louis Phillippe paid European claims, but ignored those of the United States. This angered Jackson, and he threatened military intervention if France did not pay. The threats frustrated France, but they agreed to pay only if Jackson apologized. When he refused, payment was again taken off the table. In 1836 Jackson finally conceded, and with the help of Great Britain, negotiated to receive the payments. In this print, Jackson is depicted as a lion, rearing up with claws bared at King Louis Phillippe who is personified as a rooster. Jackson is enraged by King Louis Phillippe’s demands for apology saying, “What?! You want me to apologize? You think yourself Cock of the walk, but, By the Eternal! I’m a Roarer!” The King visibly frightened seemingly runs away saying, “Ah! My dear Friend. I vas only crack de leetle joke.” Under Jackson’s feet is a bag labeled “$25,000,000” in reference to the money owed to the United States. The actual amount owed was only five million francs however, so the “$25,000,000” amount was likely done for emphasis on how important it was to receive the money owed.
label: Description (Brief)
content: The artist of this print is unknown.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: World
topic: label: Subject
content: Political Caricatures
setName: label: See more items in
content: Home and Community Life: Domestic Life
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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.60.3397
label: catalog number
content: 60.3397
objectType: label: Object Name
content: Lithograph
label: Object Type
content: Lithograph
physicalDescription: label: Measurements
content: image: 9 in x 12 3/8 in; 22.86 cm x 31.4325 cm