1860 Peake Temperance Allegorical Chromolithograph 'Tree of Misery'

Geographicus reader and correspondent Frank Johnson points out: 

The Commentary

In the background can be seen a row of buildings: the Graveyard, the Hospital, the Asylum, the Workhouse, and the Jail. (In temperance literature, such are understood to be the ultimate destination of the drunkard.) At the foot of the tree are eight people weighing in on what ought to be done with The Tree. The first of these - The Maine Law Man - calls for the destruction of the roots. Although indeed originating in Portland, Maine, the so-called '1851 Maine Law' (prohibiting the sale of all alcoholic beverages except for 'medicinal, mechanical or manufacturing purposes') was the inspiration for the United Kingdom Alliance in Manchester, England.

'Total Abstinence Man' calls for the tree to be cut down (i.e., avoidance of even moderate drinking, though not calling for bans of the sale of alcohol.). The Moderate Drinker, not surprisingly, calls for the pruning of the tree before the ills of drunkenness proliferate. The Publican calls for the tree to be spared, for 'I and thousands more get our living by it and we have license to make as many drunkards, paupers, rogues and madmen as we can.' (Evidently, no actual publicans were quoted in the composition of this print.)

The Drunkard's Family huddles under the spreading branches, lamenting, 'we may be happy but for the drink.' The drunkard, heedless, declares 'I care for nobody' while a policeman latches on to his wrist, musing that were the tree to disappear, the entire justice, hospital and welfare system would collapse from utter disuse.

Chromolithography

Chromolithography is a color lithographic technique developed in the mid-19th century. The process involved using multiple lithographic stones, one for each color, to yield a rich composite effect. Oftentimes, the process would start with a black basecoat upon which subsequent colors were layered. Some chromolithographs used 30 or more separate lithographic stones to achieve the desired effect. Chromolithograph color could also be effectively blended for even more dramatic results. The process became extremely popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when it emerged as the dominate method of color printing. The vivid color chromolithography produced made it exceptionally effective for advertising and propaganda imagery.

Publication History and Census

We are aware of only one printing of this chromolithograph; the author, G. Peake, appears to have had no other printed works and we have no concrete biography for the man - although it is tempting to associate him with the extended Peake family of Primitive Methodists who were active in and around Wales at the time this piece was printed, and who very likely would have shared its sentiment. The printer, Thomas Underwood, was the first chromolithographer active in Birmingham. We see only one example of this work listed in OCLC, in the collection of the British Library.