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Primary sourcePainting29 August 1885

A Riel Ugly Position

John Wilson Bengough · 29 August 1885

A political cartoon from Grip magazine showing Prime Minister John A. Macdonald torn between English and French political pressure over Louis Riel's fate.

This cartoon depicts the political crisis over whether Riel should be executed or pardoned.

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Black-and-white political cartoon titled 'A Riel Ugly Position.' A figure stands on two horses labeled 'English Influence' and 'French Influence,' one horse facing left and one right. The rider's head is shown twice, one above the other, with exaggerated features. A crowd of onlookers fills the background. Signed 'J. W. Bengough' at lower right.
John Wilson Bengough, 'A Riel Ugly Position,' Grip magazine, 29 August 1885.

About this source

What it is

This political cartoon by John Wilson Bengough, titled 'A Riel Ugly Position,' was published in Grip magazine. It shows a figure with two heads standing on two horses labelled 'English Influence' and 'French Influence,' facing opposite directions, with a crowd of onlookers behind.

Why it matters

The cartoon satirises the political dilemma facing Prime Minister John A. Macdonald over whether to execute or pardon Louis Riel after his 1885 treason conviction. It reflects the deep division between English Canada, which largely demanded Riel's execution, and Quebec, which largely demanded clemency. It shows how Riel's fate became a national political crisis beyond his own actions.

Look closer

  • What does the two-headed figure suggest about Macdonald's position?
  • Why might the cartoonist have chosen horses labelled by language or region?
  • What does this cartoon tell us about public opinion rather than about Riel himself?

This painting is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Louis Riel on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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