The Modern Laocoon
Permanent ID:
12273Language:
EnglishDate:
October 7 1871Image Description:
Laocoön and His Sons is a work of classical sculpture depicting the Greek Trojan priest Laocoön and his two adolescent sons being attacked by deadly snakes. This cartoon parodies the famous sculpture by substituting William "Boss" Tweed (at center) as Laocoön and members of the infamous "Tweed Ring" (New York City Mayor A. Oakey Hall at left and Richard B. Connolly and Peter B. Sweeny at right) as his sons. The snakes encircling their bodies are labeled "The Press." An accompanying article printed below the cartoons congratulates the role of the press, especially the reporting of the New York Times and the cartoons of Thomas Nast, published in Harper's Weekly, in exposing the corruption of the Tweed Ring and bringing the wrongdoers to justice. This cartoon was published in the October 7, 1871, supplement to Harper's Weekly.Format:
Clippings; Wood engravings; Political cartoonsDimensions:
Width: 24 cm, Height: 35 cm (image)Publisher:
Collection:
Historical Society of Pennsylvania cartoons and caricatures collectionRelated People or Organizations:
Brackmere (artist)Moloshok, Rachel (Transcribed by)
Moloshok, Rachel (Encoded by)
Historical Society of Pennsylvania (repository)
William Marcy Tweed, 1823-1878 (depicted)
A. Oakey Hall, 1826-1898 (depicted)
Richard Barrett Connolly, 1810-1880 (depicted)
Sweeny, Peter B. (Peter Barr), 1825-1911 (depicted)
Roosevelt, Robert Barnwell, 1829-1906 (mentioned)
New York Times (mentioned)
Harper's Weekly (mentioned)
Nast, Thomas, 1840-1902 (mentioned)
Ulysses Simpson Grant, 1822-1885 (mentioned)
Harper & Brothers (publisher)