Shades and shadows

President Roosevelt’s shadow holding a big stick is depicted in front of the United States Capitol building.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1909-01-13

A “Congress” groundhog jumps in the air as it sees President Roosevelt’s face in its shadow. Meanwhile, Roosevelt’s face is depicted on the sun. Caption: Weather forecast for Washington: Continued storms and colder until March 4.

comments and context

Comments and Context

One of the political cartoonist’s best friends is the calendar –not usually when it concerns deadlines, because daily cartoonists often address clocks and stop-watches when ideas are sparse — but as holidays, events, and anniversaries present themselves as “hooks” for concepts.

A number of prominent Democrats, including Grover Cleveland, Alton. B Parker, William S. Devery, and David B. Hill, see President Roosevelt’s shadow on the wall.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-09-12

Joseph Gurney Cannon, holding a rifle, stands with John Dalzell and Nelson W. Aldrich, operating a moonshine still at the opening to a cave in a wilderness area. A retort is connected to a barrel labeled “‘Still’ Legislation.” On a rock in the foreground is a shadow of a bust portrait in profile of Theodore Roosevelt. Caption: Or, the mooonshiners of Capitol Hill.

comments and context

Comments and Context

This January 1909 cartoon — published in advance of President Roosevelt’s presidential retirement in March — nevertheless showed the influences still held by the president, a check on then schemes of Old Guard leadership in Congress.

Woodrow Wilson, at his summer home Shadow Lawn, is shown being menaced by a number of a shadows, including ones labeled “German American Vote,” “T.R.,” “Wilson’s Mexican Policy,” “Democratic Extravagance,” “R.I.P. Principle of Arbitration,” “Military Impotence,” “Poor Appointments,” “Pork,” “Women’s Vote,” and “Daniels.”

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1916-09-08

A large Easter bonnet casts shade over a small eclectic group of individuals.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1897-04-21

Cardinal “Satolli,” holding a crosier, sits atop an enormous dome labeled “American Headquarters,” and casts a large shadow in the shape of Pope Leo XIII across the landscape of the United States, from New York City south through Washington, D.C., to the Gulf of Mexico and west to San Francisco. Several cities, some with buildings labeled “Public Schools,” are encompassed by the shadow of the Pope, including New York City, the U.S. Capitol building, “Memphis, New Orleans, El Paso, Denver, [and] San Francisco.”

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1894-09-05

An over-sized man labeled “The Individual” casts a shadow labeled “Incorporation” which is caused by a light, on the left, held by a “Corporation Lawyer” and a “Corporation Legislator.” On the right, a female figure labeled “Dept. of Justice,” carrying a shield and a fasces, assails the shadow. Caption: “Whatever of wrong there is, is not the fault of the Corporation, but of the officials in charge of it. And for the individual committing the offense there should be punishment.”–Alton B. Parker.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1910-11-02

President Taft, as Alexander the Great, is accompanied by James S. Sherman, Sereno E. Payne, Nelson W. Aldrich, Joseph G. Cannon, and George W. Wickersham. They stand before Uncle Sam, shown as Diogenes. Uncle Sam sits at the base of an overturned dome in the shadows cast by Taft and the others who are blocking his sun. The sun shows the face of Theodore Roosevelt.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1910-04-27

President William H. Taft, as a scout, sneaks up on a tipi labeled “Outlook Wig-Wam” which shows the shadows of several men wearing feather headdresses. The one on the left may be Theodore Roosevelt.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1912-03-06