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Primary sourcePaintingJune 1797

The Political Champion Turned Resurrection Man

Robert Cruikshank · June 1797

An 1797 satirical cartoon mocking the return of Paine's bones to Britain, reflecting public reaction after his death.

This satire concerns the fate of Paine's remains, showing his continuing symbolic importance after his death.

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Hand-colored satirical etching of a cartoon with a caption reading The Political Champion turned Resurrection Man. A man in a brown coat and top hat rides a green dragon-like creature, holding a book labeled Paine and a skeleton. Above, black devils carry banners reading Rights of Man and Paine. Below, a crowd with banners reading Hunt and Cobbett marches toward a shore where a figure in a tricorn hat carries a sack. Ships sail on the sea and an American flag flies on the right. Text balloons contain dialogue.
Robert Cruikshank, The Political Champion Turned Resurrection Man, June 1797.

About this source

What it is

This hand-colored etching was made by Robert Cruikshank in June 1797. It satirizes William Cobbett's retrieval of Thomas Paine's bones from America. The cartoon shows a man riding a dragon-like creature while holding a book labeled Paine and a skeleton, with devils carrying banners reading Rights of Man and Paine, and crowds marching with banners reading Hunt and Cobbett. Napoleon watches from St. Helena as Britain appears to erupt in revolution.

Why it matters

The cartoon reflects how Paine remained a controversial figure even after his death, as his bones became a political symbol fought over by reformers like William Cobbett. It shows how satirists used exaggerated, fantastical imagery to mock political figures and movements linked to Paine's radical legacy.

Look closer

  • Why might the artist choose grave-robbing imagery to mock Cobbett's actions?
  • What do the devils and banners suggest about how the artist viewed Paine's continuing influence?
  • What does this tell you about how long political controversies can last after a person's death?

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

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