SSSSSSSSSlavery....

[Civil War]: [Slavery]: [Political Satire]:

Slavery and Its Ally [caption title].

[N.p. ca. 1864]. Lithograph, 14.5 x 20.5 inches. Noticeable toning, small areas of light discoloration along top margin, short closed tear to left edge, minor dust-soiling, numerous creases and wrinkles. About very good. Item #12816

A dramatic political cartoon issued during the Civil War and satirizing the dangerous influence of those who argue a compromise on slavery or an easy solution to the war. The work was likely issued in the midst of the 1860, but more likely the 1864 presidential election campaign. The central image of the lithograph involves a three-headed snake -- labeled "The People's Party" and emerging from the American "South" (personified by a moss-covered swamp) -- which is wrapped around the length of a large tree labeled "Slavery." Each snake vocalizes a different misleading message about the issue of slavery and compromise, seemingly aligned with political entities such as the Peace Party and the Copperheads. The messages from each snake head read, respectively, "Extend Slavery over the Northern States and the Rebellion will be over in 60 days;" "Persevere till after election and then we will give you all you ask;" and "'Support the President' - but oppose everything he may do to crush the Rebellion." This latter message indicates the author of the work supported President Lincoln. The North is personified in the background at left by a depiction of the U.S. Capitol Building. The central image of the lithograph carries echoes of the story of the Book of Genesis with the involvement of a deceptive serpent amid the tree of life.

The lithograph is signed in the stone at bottom right, reading simply, "Brooks." Though the work came to us proposing the identify of the artist as Reuben Brooks (1794-1870), we were ultimately unable to confirm this authorship. The lack of an imprint in the lithograph also precludes easy research and identification. In fact, the rarity of the lithograph makes it difficult to expound much more about it at all. OCLC reports just a single copy, at the Peabody Essex Museum, and it is not listed in Weitenkampf or Reilly. Given its rarity and content, the present lithograph offers an outstanding opportunity for further research and contextualization.

Price: $4,500