The Tribute Money 1889

Timothy Cole created this wood engraving, entitled 'The Tribute Money'. The image illustrates a scene from the New Testament in which Jesus tells the Pharisees to render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s. Cole was an American engraver, working at a time when the status of such work was changing. Engravers were once seen as mere technicians, capable of reproducing the designs of others. By the late nineteenth century, however, engravers were increasingly seen as artists in their own right, with a more creative role to play. This print reflects that change in status. Cole’s interpretation of the scene emphasizes the psychological drama of the encounter between Jesus and the Pharisees, as opposed to merely copying the earlier work of another artist. To understand the dynamics of the art world at this time, we can research publications such as 'The Century Magazine', in which many of Cole’s engravings appeared.