An Extradordinary Animal. Neither an Opossum nor a Kangaroo but having something of both

Art Historical Context

Behold *An Extradordinary Animal. an Opossum nor a Kangaroo but having something both*, a witty 1835 lithograph from the Metropolitan Museum of Art Drawings and Prints collection. Created by caricaturist John Doyle ( as HB), with publishing involvement from Thomas McLean and printing by Ducôte and Stephen, this satirical print measures 17 5/16 × 11 13/16 inches. It playfully depicts a bizarre hybrid creature, blending opossum and kangaroo traits to lampoon prominent British political figures like Lord John Russell, Daniel O'Connell, and others listed. In the turbulent 1830s, amid Whig reforms and Irish tensions, such animal allegories were a staple of political satire, mocking inconsistencies or opportunistic alliances. The opossum's feigned death and the kangaroo's leaps likely symbolize evasive or erratic behaviors in Parliament, targeting the era's heated debates over Catholic emancipation and governance. Lithography's rise enabled affordable, detailed reproductions, fueling caricature's cultural punch—think Hogarth meets modern memes. This gem from The Elisha Whittelsey Collection captures how 19th-century Brits used humor to dissect power, inviting us to chuckle at history's absurdities.

About the Artist

Lord John Russell|Henry George Grey, 3rd Earl Grey|Charles Grant, Baron Glenelg|Ducôte and Stephen|Thomas McLean|Thomas Spring Rice, 1st Baron Monteagle|Daniel O'Connell|John Doyle (Irish|British|British|British|Irish) · 1797 |1792 |1830 |1788 |1775 –1868 |1878 |1840 |1875 |1847

Irish, Dublin 1797–1868 London|British, 1792–1878|British, active 1830–40|British, 1788–1875|Irish, Cahirciveen, Kerry 1775–1847 Genoa