Tea-Tax-Tempest, or the Anglo-American Revolution

In Carl Guttenberg's 1778 engraving “Tea-Tax Tempest, or the Anglo-American Revolution” four allegorical figures symbolizing the world’s four quarters look upon a representation of revolution projected from a magic lantern—a proto-projector that used etched glass slides. Europe and Asia sit closely, with Asia’s arm resting on Europe’s shoulder. Africa stands behind these two, aghast at the projection. A native figure representing America sits in the shadows on the left with her back to the viewer. Though ill-defined, overshadowed, and compositionally marginal, the native and Black figures are central to understanding the engraving’s subtle statement about who is enlightened and who is not.