Spotprent op de politieke crisis, 1883 1883

Johan Michaël Schmidt Crans's 1883 satirical cartoon "Spotprent op de politieke crisis, 1883" is a humorous commentary on Dutch politics. The image depicts a carpenter working on a cabinet, using "oud hout" (old wood) to create a new cabinet. The "oud hout" is comprised of a cabinet's worth of former officials: ministers, a vice admiral, a director, a chamberlain, and an inspector, suggesting that the political landscape is filled with recycled figures. The image is a clever critique of political corruption and the cyclical nature of power.