Spotprent op de val van de Minister van Koloniën, 1883 1883

Johan Michaël Schmidt Crans created this print, titled 'Satirical print on the fall of the Minister of Colonies,' in 1883. The cartoon depicts a man plummeting from the sky, an envelope marked 'Department of Colonies' falling beside him. The image invokes the Greek myth of Icarus, who flew too close to the sun and fell to his death when the wax holding his wings together melted. This was a period of increasing scrutiny of Dutch colonial practices, particularly in the Dutch East Indies, now Indonesia. The figure represents a 'conservative colonial,' whose 'vain attempt' to 'fly high' has led to his downfall. The sun glares down on him, its rays spelling 'INSULINDE,' a Dutch name for the East Indies. Political cartoons like this one played a vital role in shaping public opinion and critiquing government policies. Resources like period newspapers and archival records can tell us more about the colonial policies under debate at the time and how this print engaged with those discussions.