Common-Wealth, The Colossus 1766

This engraving, titled "The Colossus," was created by an anonymous artist depicting the political tensions of its time. The central figure, a man on stilts, looms large, one foot in "New York," the other in "St. Stephens Chapel," representing British Parliament. Observe the stilts—not merely tools for elevation, but symbols of precarious balance. The English politician is trying to stand on two continents at once! This awkward posture recalls the ancient Colossus of Rhodes, a statue that straddled a harbor, embodying both power and vulnerability. The Colossus appears in many forms—from ancient myth to modern political cartoons—always suggesting a figure of immense power struggling against its own hubris. Like the Tower of Babel, this image speaks to the inevitable fall that awaits those who overreach. The emotional pull of such imagery lies in our collective memory, resonating with deep-seated fears of instability and collapse.