The True Peace Commissioners

Various artists/makers

Not on view

Currier & Ives, premier publishers of inexpensive popular prints in the nineteenth century, distributed several political cartoons related to the Civil War. In this pro-Union image, Confederate leaders General Robert E. Lee and Jefferson Davis stand back-to-back in the center of the composition, attempting to ward off attacks by Union officers Philip H. Sheridan, Ulysses S. Grant, David G. Farragut, and William T. Sherman. The illustration represents the opinion of the War Democrats, supporters of the war, in response to what many considered to be false peace overtures from the South. It also criticizes the party’s other leading faction, the Peace Democrats, who pushed for a reconciliation between the North and South.

The True Peace Commissioners, Currier & Ives (American, active New York, 1857–1907), Lithograph

Due to rights restrictions, this image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded.

Open Access

As part of the Met's Open Access policy, you can freely copy, modify and distribute this image, even for commercial purposes.

API

Public domain data for this object can also be accessed using the Met's Open Access API.