The Council of Rulers & the Elders Against the Tribe of ye Americanites 1775

This anonymous print captures a moment of political turmoil, rendered with the graphic precision of engraving. The artist incised lines into a metal plate, likely copper, creating grooves that would hold ink and transfer the image onto paper. The dense network of lines, carefully etched, defines form and texture in this image of the British ruling class meeting in opposition to the American colonies. Consider the labor involved: each line a deliberate mark, building up to a complex scene of power and resistance. The print medium itself is crucial, as prints allowed for wide distribution of political messaging in the 18th century. The visual language used here, caricature and symbolism, amplifies the statement. The map of North America is shown engulfed in flames, a sign of the conflict, and a commentary on the political tensions of the era, highlighting the clash between imperial authority and colonial rebellion. It reminds us that even seemingly simple prints can carry immense social weight, challenging the notion of craft as separate from fine art.