The Bostonians Paying the Excise-Man, or Tarring & Feathering 1774

Philip Dawe’s print portrays the tarring and feathering of a British excise man. The composition’s stark contrast between light and shadow evokes a scene of chaotic tension. The artist masterfully uses a range of etching techniques to enhance the narrative, creating a dynamic interplay between form and content. The central group is framed by the dark silhouettes of the crowd, and the victim, dehumanized through tar and feathers, becomes a grotesque spectacle. The formal elements here, such as the stark lines of the ships in the background, and the textural variance in the tarred figure, contribute to a broader critique of power dynamics. This print challenges fixed meanings of justice and rebellion. Here, Dawe engages with questions of authority, revolt, and the inherent instability of political symbols, prompting us to question the relationship between representation and reality.