Guide Records

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American cartoon print filing series (Library of Congress)

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Title: American cartoon print filing series (Library of Congress)
Other Title: Political cartoon prints, United States (Library of Congress)
Related Names:
   Baillie, James S., active 1838-1855.
   Bucholzer, H.
   Childs, John, active 1830-1864.
   Clay, Edward Williams, 1799-1857.
   Currier, Nathaniel, 1813-1888.
   Magee, John L.
   Maurer, Louis, 1832-1932.
   Robinson, Henry R., -1850.
   Currier & Ives.
Date Created/Published: ca. 1766-1886.
Medium: 438 prints : predominately b&w, some color ; various sizes.
Summary: Political cartoons and caricatures that cover a wide range of topics from pre-revolutionary America through the presidency of Chester A. Arthur. The predominate theme is the growth and development of the political process and its role in the governance of the United States. These prints were used to advance political candidacies, attack individuals and ethnic groups, cast aspersions, promote ideas, and to introduce symbols, such as the eagle as a national emblem, and Brother Jonathan, Columbia, and Uncle Sam as symbolic characters, to a growing population, both literate and illiterate. Political campaign symbols, such as William Henry Harrison's hard cider and log cabin, were introduced as a means of informing the electorate through the use of visual images. Some images depict abolitionists, such as William Lloyd Garrison, Henry Ward Beecher, and Horace Greeley, as well as many presidential and vice-presidential candidates, including members of such political parties as the Locofocos (or Equal Rights Party), Tammany Democrats, and Whigs. Presidents and/or presidential policies from John Quincy Adams to Chester A. Arthur are treated, favorably or unfavorably, depending on the particular view of the artists or the prevailing political climate. Often, newspapers are depicted in ways that indicate their alliance with or opposition to current political issues. African Americans and Irish Americans are depicted through ethnic stereotypes with text that frequently mimics speech patterns. Monetary or economic policy, especially Andrew Jackson's assault on the Bank of the United States, and treasury issues are presented under such headings as Banks, Banking, Independent Treasury, and Treasury of the United States, as well as under Jackson and the Bank of the United States. Both Abraham Lincoln and Jefferson Davis are scurrilously treated, Davis most often wearing women's clothing while attempting to elude capture. Other issues represented are attacks on the Catholic Church, the Constitution of the United States, tariffs, and temperance. Also, frequently depicted are the White House, the U.S. Capitol, and Jack Downing (the original symbol of the American people, now represented by John Q. Public). Among persons depicted are the following politicians, presidents and presidential candidates: Thomas Hart Benton, Francis Preston Blair, James Buchanan, John C. Calhoun, Henry Clay, Jefferson Davis, Theodore Frelinghuysen, Ulysses S. Grant, Horace Greely, William Henry Harrison, Andrew Jackson, Richard Johnson, Amos Kendall, Abraham Lincoln, Franklin Pierce, James K. Polk, Winfield Scott, William H. Seward, Zachary Taylor, John Tyler, Martin Van Buren, George Washington, James Watson Webb, and Daniel Webster.
Reproduction Number: ---
Rights Advisory: No known restrictions on publication.
Call Number: Guide Record (Filing series: PC/US) [P&P]
Repository: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA
Notes:
- Arrangement: Organized as one filing series with the call number designation "PC/US". Arrangement: Arranged by date, then by artist; items are individually numbered for each artist. Call number example: PC/US - 1839.R661, no. 19 (A size).
- Collection title devised by Library staff.
- Specific media forms represented include etchings, engravings, lithographs, and wood engravings.
- Many artists and publishers are represented, among the more frequent are: James S. Baillie, H. Bucholzer, John Childs, Edward Williams Clay, Currier & Ives, Nathaniel Currier, John L. Magee, Louis Maurer, and Henry R. Robinson.
- Digitized images of most prints along with associated descriptive information are available through the Prints & Photographs Online Catalog.
- Copyright deposit, gift, purchase, and transfer; various sources.
- Additional political cartoon prints are in the Popular Graphic Arts filing series in the Prints & Photographs Division (P&P), as well as in many books and magazines in the General Collections, broadsides in the Rare Book Division, and sheet music covers in P&P and the Music Division.
- Library of Congress staff assembled this collection of prints from many sources to document early political art in the United States.
- Many published in: American political prints, 1766-1876 / Bernard F. Reilly. Boston : G.K. Hall, 1991.
Subjects:
Format:
Collections:
- Guide Records
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Guide Records

The Library of Congress generally does not own rights to material in its collections and, therefore, cannot grant or deny permission to publish or otherwise distribute the material. For further rights information, see "Rights Information" below and the Rights and Restrictions Information page ( https://www.loc.gov/rr/print/res/rights.html ).

Rights Advisory: No known restrictions on publication.
Reproduction Number: ---
Call Number: Guide Record (Filing series: PC/US) [P&P]
Medium: 438 prints : predominately b&w, some color ; various sizes.

Generally, Guide Records describe large groups of items from which a selection must be made. The individual items in the group may or may not be represented online.

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Call Number: Guide Record (Filing series: PC/US) [P&P]
Medium: 438 prints : predominately b&w, some color ; various sizes.

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