Bunkers Hill, or the Blessed Effects of Family Quarrels 1770 - 1780

This anonymous print, made around the time of the American Revolution, uses satire to comment on the conflict between Britain and its colonies. The print visualizes the Battle of Bunker Hill as a family dispute, with Britannia and America depicted as female figures locked in combat. The cultural references here are rich. Britannia, symbolizing Great Britain, is shown alongside a soldier, while America is depicted as an Indigenous woman with a shield. Above, figures representing the Scottish and English clergy bless the conflict, guided by a winged devil. This reflects the British political landscape, where the Church of England and Scottish Presbyterianism were powerful institutions. The "family quarrel" is also an institutional one, a crisis of governance within the British Empire. To fully understand this piece, one might delve into pamphlets, newspapers, and political cartoons of the period. Only then do we see how art reflects and shapes public opinion during times of social upheaval. The meaning of art is always tied to its specific time and place.