Artwork
Young America Rising at the Ballot-Box and Strangling the Serpents: Disunion and Secession

Young America Rising at the Ballot-Box and Strangling the Serpents: Disunion and Secession is an ink print by the Impressionist artist American 19th Century. It dates from 1860 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
- Inscription
- Inscribed:lower left in plate: HD; across bottom: YOUNG AMERICA RISING AT THE BALLOT-BOX AND STRANGLING THE SERPENTS / DISUNION AND SECESSION. / COLUMBIA.-"Well done, Sonny! 'Go it while you're young, for when you're old you can't.'"
About this work
Overview
This print, titled 'Young America Rising at the Ballot-Box and Strangling the Serpents: Disunion and Secession,' is a wood engraving on newsprint. It depicts a powerful young man overpowering two snakes, symbolizing the triumph of democratic processes over secessionist threats.
Subject & Meaning
The scene shows a muscular youth standing over entwined snakes labeled 'Disunion' and 'Secession,' which he is subduing with a ballot box and his raised arm. The surrounding text, including 'Young America Rising' and 'Virtuous Indignation,' reinforces the image's themes of patriotism and moral outrage.
Technique & Style
The print is characterized by strong lines and shading, achieved through the wood engraving technique, which involves carving detailed designs into wood blocks. The resulting image is a bold, graphic representation of a political message.
Artist & collection
Artist
Scenes of everyday American life in the 1800s. Farmhouse in Mahantango Valley is a quiet, sunlit view of rural Pennsylvania; Boy and Girl shows two children standing close, faces turned outward. A small woodcut, The…


















