Spotprent op de maatregelen van Thorbecke bij de bestrijding van de runderpest, 1865 1865

In this 1865 print by Johan Michaël Schmidt Crans, we see figures struggling with barrels, a potent symbol during the rinderpest epidemic. These barrels, presumably containing the means to cull infected cattle, represent a desperate effort to contain the disease, yet they become instruments of chaos in the hands of the ministers, or those in charge. The gesture of holding up one's hands is an ancient one, seen in countless depictions of supplication or defense, signaling distress or a plea for mercy. It's a primal response, deeply embedded in our collective memory, here reflecting the perceived overreach or ineffectiveness of the government's response. Think of similar scenes throughout history—the panic-stricken crowds fleeing plague-ridden cities, the raised hands of civilians caught in conflict. These are timeless images of human vulnerability and the struggle against forces beyond our control. This cartoon, born of a specific crisis, taps into that deeper, universal vein of fear and uncertainty, reminding us that history, like art, is a constant cycle of recurring motifs and emotions.