A Regular Out and Out'er 1840 - 1850

This lithograph, "A Regular Out and Out'er," made by Mssrs. Fores, captures a scene ripe with political satire through carefully chosen symbols. The corpulent figure, a clear signifier of wealth and power, gives instructions to a ghostly figure standing in a doorway marked 'Treasury.' Note how the gentleman's dismissive gesture is eerily reminiscent of Pontius Pilate washing his hands, absolving himself of responsibility. The ghostly figure, meek and subservient, is a specter of the Treasury. The meaning of this symbol has an almost cyclical journey. Originally a symbol of Roman authority, it reappears as a way to mock those in power. By the 18th century, it resurfaces as a symbol of governmental corruption. Each iteration reflects a collective anxiety about authority. Isn't it a potent reminder of how symbols evolve, yet their emotional core remains disturbingly constant?