Spotprent op het verlies van de christelijke partijen bij de Belgische verkiezingen, 1864 1864

Curator: This drawing, "Spotprent op het verlies van de christelijke partijen bij de Belgische verkiezingen, 1864," or "Cartoon on the loss of the Christian parties in the Belgian elections, 1864" was created by Johan Michaël Schmidt Crans using pen and ink. Editor: Wow, the first thing that strikes me is the starkness. The pen and ink really gives it a biting, almost sarcastic feel. It feels less like observation and more like…well, mockery! Curator: Caricature was definitely Schmidt Crans' intention here, I would agree. Note the placement of the lions, particularly, as representative of the election outcome. One reclining, the other stepping on what appear to be royal regalia, like a fallen crown. Lions themselves carry heavy cultural baggage, traditionally symbolizing royalty, strength, courage. Editor: It's interesting how the crown is underfoot – the regalia looks pretty…well, impotent, doesn’t it? You can almost feel the artist’s glee in depicting this power shift! The lions have this wonderful expression of triumph about them as the "Christian" figures fade in the background. Curator: The banner at the top adds another layer, yes. Its partially illegible inscription combined with religious iconography tells you the old order has been completely destabilized. Editor: Right, so religion intertwined with the political. I am especially drawn to how simply this is rendered but how powerfully evocative these details are. This piece manages to convey complex shifts through symbols. It is quite genius in some ways. Curator: Exactly! The cultural memory of the time would have imbued all of these symbols with immediate meaning. The visual vocabulary of the time helped people read this image like a book. Editor: Thinking about it now, it reminds me that sometimes, the simplest images have the sharpest bite. Art, especially satire, has a funny way of holding up a mirror to ourselves, and in this case, the past, revealing not just the facts but the underlying feelings. It is pretty special when you think of it! Curator: A perfect reflection, wouldn’t you say, of our power, strength, courage—and even our capacity to make fun of ourselves? Editor: Couldn't agree more! It feels incredibly resonant with politics now, even so long afterwards.