Het Schip van Staat 1882

"Het Schip van Staat" (The Ship of State) is an 1882 satirical cartoon by Johan Michaël Schmidt Crans, depicting two men carrying planks labeled "Koloniën" (Colonies) and "Buitenl. Zaken" (Foreign Affairs) towards the bow of a ship. The cartoon satirizes the Dutch government's colonial ambitions and foreign affairs, suggesting that these are burdens on the ship of state. The work is a fine example of the political cartoon genre and is a testament to the artist's wit and skill.