Political Gymnasium

Art Historical Context

Created in 1860 by lithographer Louis Maurer, *Political Gymnasium* is a lively political cartoon that captures the chaotic energy of that year’s presidential campaign. As a print, it belonged to a popular medium that allowed sharp satire to reach wide audiences through newspapers and shops. Maurer, who worked in the bustling print trade of New York, used bold lines and exaggerated features to turn prominent politicians into athletes competing in a lively gymnasium. The image gathers major figures of the era—Abraham Lincoln, Stephen Douglas, John Breckinridge, John Bell, William Seward, Horac...