Spotprent met minister Heemskerk, 1884 1884

This lithograph, made in 1884 by Johan Michaël Schmidt Crans, is a political cartoon rendered with precise lines on paper. The texture comes not just from the paper’s surface, but from the artist's technique of layering fine lines to create shading and form. The printmaking process itself – lithography – is crucial here. It allowed for the relatively quick reproduction of this image, making it widely accessible. This accessibility speaks directly to the cartoon's purpose: to engage in a public dialogue about contemporary politics. The subject is class-based taxation, a social issue relevant to a broad audience. Consider the labor involved, both in the artist's detailed work and in the industrial process of printing. This reflects the wider societal concerns about labor, class, and power that are central to the cartoon’s message. In the end, this lithograph invites us to consider not only its visual content but also its role in shaping public opinion, blurring the line between art and social commentary.