Spotprent op de verkiezing van Abraham Kuyper in Gouda, 1874 1874

This is a satirical print by Johan Michaël Schmidt Crans from 1874, rendered in detailed lines, showing a clergyman in deep contemplation, caught between two barrels. The composition is structured by these two dominant cylindrical forms. One barrel, labelled "In de drie" with triangular shapes, suggesting an established order. The other, an open bucket, reads "Verkiezing Tweede Kamer," implying upcoming elections for the Lower House. The contrast between the closed, bound barrel and the open, empty bucket destabilizes the traditional political landscape, reflecting the uncertainties of electoral choice. The clergyman, presumably Abraham Kuyper, sits atop the barrel, mediating between these containers. The artist uses line and form not merely to depict, but to comment on the shifting political landscape of the time. The print is not just an image; it's a semiotic field where objects, text, and composition converge to express political doubt.