Spotprent 1877

This is a political cartoon by Johan Michaël Schmidt Crans, made in 1877 using an etching technique. Here, we see a figure of Hercules, son of Zeus, who was known for his strength and courage. The cartoon is titled "Ze Edelgestrenge Hercules van Justitie," or "His Excellency Hercules of Justice," and shows Hercules leaning on a broom. The image creates meaning through cultural references to classical mythology. In this cartoon made in the Netherlands, Hercules appears to be sweeping away all manner of municipal corruption, which is labelled on the ground beneath him. We might ask: what was the political climate in the Netherlands in 1877 that called for such a cartoon? Who was failing to dispense justice adequately? These are the questions of social history, which attempts to understand the ways in which art comments on the social structures of its time. The historian must research and understand this context to truly interpret the art of the past.