Re-Construction, or "A White Man's Govenment"
Medium
Lithograph
Dimensions
Image: 9 in. × 14 1/2 in. (22.9 × 36.8 cm) Sheet: 13 7/16 × 17 11/16 in. (34.1 × 44.9 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of A. S. Colgate, 1952
Accession Number
52.632.206
Tags
Art Historical Context
Created in 1868 by the renowned firm Currier & Ives, this lithograph captures the turbulent politics of the Reconstruction era following the Civil War. Titled *Re-Construction, or "A White Man's Government,"* the print reflects the heated national debate over voting rights, citizenship, and the future of the South. Currier & Ives specialized in affordable, widely distributed lithographs that brought political commentary into American homes, making complex issues accessible through vivid imagery and pointed satire. The work’s dual title highlights the racial tensions of the time, contrasting t...