Spotprent met de hertog van Wellington, 1827 Possibly 1827

Curator: It strikes me as surprisingly cheerful for a piece of political satire! Editor: This etching, potentially from 1827, is titled "Spotprent met de hertog van Wellington, 1827" – or in English, "The Scavenger in Chief, or a New Broom Sweeps Clean!!" It resides here at the Rijksmuseum and comes from the hand of Henry Heath. What draws your eye? Curator: The use of watercolor gives it this unexpectedly light feel, especially with the bright red and yellow. Even though the central figure is doing something that suggests... a cleanup, a getting-rid-of-things, it doesn't feel inherently negative. Editor: Yes, it’s interesting how Heath used the materials and printing process. Etching allowed for fine lines, capturing details of uniforms and expressions, while the watercolour washes softened the visual attack that was typical of political cartoons. It is less about outright condemning and more about wryly observing power dynamics and labor conditions in society. Curator: I read it as hopeful! This central figure, with that gloriously oversized hat and the very busy broom... what's he actually sweeping up, though? Dispatches, are they? Love letters, perhaps? Scandal? Editor: Yes, a mixed bag of things there! This points to a specific context – Wellington's political role at the time, particularly in the military and perhaps alluding to shifts or reforms he was enacting or perceived to be enacting. It shows the means and matter of social and political transformation. Curator: I wonder what Heath felt about those changes? There’s an air of silliness. The title feels loaded. A "great moral lesson" delivered with a... broom? I see irony in the making, you know? A visual metaphor loaded with, shall we say, satiric flavor. I might want to add a detail regarding all that. Editor: I agree that it brings up a valid interpretation in regard to the socio-political criticism in a broader artistic spectrum, specifically considering Heath’s work. Curator: All in all, it is still fun! Something about the off-kilter perspective and that determined little figure make me smile.