Spotprent op de vertraging van een nieuw ministerie, 1874 1874

This political cartoon was created by Johan Michaël Schmidt Crans in 1874. It is made using ink on paper, a traditional method for creating prints that allowed for mass production and distribution. The linear quality of the printmaking process lends itself to caricature, emphasizing the contours of the carriage, the waiting horses and the figure with a whip. The artist used the reproducibility of this medium to make a statement about the political landscape. There is a clear link to the social context of this cartoon, and it has been made accessible to a wide audience through printmaking. The artist uses labor as a visual metaphor for social issues, as the image alludes to the delay of a new ministry, and questions when the government will start driving again, like a coachman with a horse and carriage. This artwork is a great example of how materials and making are central to understanding the full meaning of an artwork, challenging the traditional idea of fine art and craft.