Shadows of the times. Pl. 1 / P. Kramer, del.

A somewhat xenophobic view of the threat of European intervention in the American Civil War. The cartoon consists of two shadow-play tableaux. In the first, Queen Victoria (right) makes a menacing gesture toward the American shore while holding onto the mane of a raging British lion. A storm of demons rises behind her. An Irishman (far right) plays a bagpipe, as the queen holds out her scepter and threatens, "I will sink your Ships and burn your Factories. they are a perfect nuisance." Across the ocean the figure of Columbia stands on a globe rising out of the sea. She holds a sword, an American flag on a staff with a liberty cap, and a shield. At her feet are an eagle, a seated man who thumbs his nose at Britannia, and broken shackles. Columbia's response to Britannia is a defiant, "You don't say so!! Very glad to see you." In the second scene, Emperor Napoleon III of France and another officer, possibly Prussian commander Otto von Bismarck, converse in an interior. The former points to a painting of the exiled Napoleon Bonaparte on the island of St. Helena, saying, "General, St Helena is not forgotten." Bismarck stands before a painting of Emperor Frederick the Great leading his army.

"Entered ... 1862, by P. Kramer & C. Muringer ..."
The Library's impression of the print was deposited on February 8, 1862.
The print is one in a series entitled Shadows of the Times published by Kramer and Muringer.
Weitenkampf, p. 136
Published in: American political prints, 1766-1876 / Bernard F. Reilly. Boston : G.K. Hall, 1991, entry 1862-3.