A Charm for a Democracy, Reviewed, Analysed, & Destroyed Jan 1 1799 to the Confusion of its Affiliated Friends 1799

Henri Merke's 1799 etching, "A Charm for a Democracy, Reviewed, Analyzed, & Destroyed Jan 1 1799 to the Confusion of its Affiliated Friends," is a satirical commentary on the French Revolution. The image depicts a group of figures, presumably French revolutionaries, surrounded by words and symbols representing their ideologies. They are engaged in a chaotic scene as they attempt to create a "charm" for their democracy, which is ultimately being destroyed by a devil figure. The work, housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, is a powerful example of political satire during a period of significant social and political upheaval.