Spotprent op de vervanging van gouveneur-generaal Mijer, 1869 1869

This is Johan Michaël Schmidt Crans' 1869 cartoon commenting on the replacement of Governor-General Mijer. Its composition is dominated by the stark lines of a gazebo-like structure, within which a man sits in a rocking chair, caught mid-motion, and is rendered in monochrome ink. The visual metaphor here is striking: a gazebo becomes a "wip-schopstoel," or seesaw, topped with a flag that reads "Bezorgh," which means "Care." The rocking chair suggests instability and the temporary nature of power. The man's precarious position and the seesaw allude to the political climate of the time. The stark lines and the cartoon's limited palette serve to distill the message, focusing our attention on the structural dynamics of power and governance rather than on superficial details. It highlights how seemingly stable structures can be easily upended, reflecting a deep engagement with the transient nature of authority. This is not merely a political jab but a meditation on the frameworks that govern society.