Politieke spotprent over Atjeh, 1882 1882

This political cartoon about Aceh was created in 1882 by Johan Michaël Schmidt Crans. The dominant image here is a tiger, crouched low to the ground, its teeth bared in a snarl. Historically, the tiger has been a symbol of power, ferocity, and untamed nature, embodying both fear and respect. We can see how it resurfaces, for example, in Delacroix's romantic paintings, as a symbol of raw power, or in ancient mythologies. Here, the tiger clearly represents the local resistance in Aceh. The tiger’s aggressive posture, frozen in a moment of imminent attack, engages viewers on a deep, subconscious level, evoking the intense emotional states tied to conflict and resistance. Note the Dutch flag planted in the background, suggesting colonial presence. The appearance of the tiger reminds us of an archetypal struggle for freedom, a primal image ingrained in our collective memory, continuously reappearing and readapted across cultures.