The Bostonian's Paying the Excise-Man, or Tarring & Feathering Possibly 1774

Philip Dawe created this print titled *The Bostonian's Paying the Excise-Man, or Tarring & Feathering* during a period of intense political upheaval. The print provides a visual record of the tensions brewing in the American colonies leading up to the Revolutionary War. Here we witness a visceral act of defiance against British authority. An excise-man is being tarred and feathered, a form of public humiliation and physical assault. Consider how Dawe uses this scene to portray the complexities of identity and power. The perpetrators, labeled as "Bostonians," are shown as common people taking matters into their own hands. They are enacting a crude form of justice against a representative of the Crown. Look at the "Liberty Tree" in the background and the noose hanging from it. These are symbols of the colonists’ desire for freedom, but also a grim warning of the consequences of dissent. This image isn't just about politics, it's about the raw emotions—the anger, the fear, and the determination—that fueled a revolution.