Spotprent op minister Van Zuylen, 1867 1867

"Spotprent op minister Van Zuylen, 1867" (1867) by Johan Michaël Schmidt Crans (1830-1907) is a political cartoon depicting a man, likely representing the Dutch Minister Van Zuylen, being urged by a woman (possibly representing the Netherlands) to slay his own child, symbolizing a controversial policy that the Minister was attempting to pass. This satirical caricature, drawn with a sharp pen and ink, exemplifies the artist’s engagement in the political landscape of his time. It exemplifies the use of visual symbolism and allegory in political commentary, a technique common in satire throughout history.