Mad Tom in a Rage
This satirical print affirms America’s treasured freedom of expression following independence. The 1800 presidential election required two rounds of voting to confirm Thomas Jefferson’s victory over sitting president John Adams. Anxiety over new policies espoused by Jefferson is conveyed here, as the devil urges Thomas Paine to pull down a column representing a strong federal government. Paine was widely admired for his Common Sense pamphlet (1776) advocating American independence, but the radical nature of his later political writings undermined his reputation. After a long sojourn in Europe, he returned to the United States in 1802, at Jefferson’s invitation.
Artwork Details
- Title: Mad Tom in a Rage
- Artist: Anonymous, American, 19th century
- Subject: Thomas Paine (American (born England), Thetford, Norfolk 1737–1809 New York)
- Date: [1801]
- Medium: Etching
- Dimensions: Plate: 11 1/8 × 7 7/8 in. (28.3 × 20 cm)
Sheet: 13 1/2 × 9 3/8 in. (34.3 × 23.8 cm) - Classification: Prints
- Credit Line: The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1953
- Object Number: 53.607(22)
- Curatorial Department: Drawings and Prints
More Artwork
Research Resources
The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.
To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.
Feedback
We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please contact us using the form below. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.