Twenty-five years after (1908)

"Twenty-five Years After" by John Samuel Pughe is an intriguing and potent work of art that vividly captures the theme of corporate monopolies and their impact on commerce. Painted in 1908, the illustration uses the metaphor of dogs to represent the aggressive and dominant nature of monopolistic practices in the business world.The central figure in this artwork is a large, menacing bulldog with "MONOPOLY" emblazoned across its collar, symbolizing the concentration of business power in the hands of a few. This bulldog stands over a box labeled "BUSINESS," inside which various bones are scattered – likely a representation of the limited resources dominated by monopolies. Around this central figure, smaller and more submissive dogs appear either subdued or aggressive but noticeably less powerful, depicting the plight of smaller businesses struggling under the overshadowing power of monopolies.The background of the painting features lush greenery and a partitioned wall, perhaps suggesting the division between the monopolies and the general public or the natural environment, which remains detached and unaffected by the corporate skirmishes.In addition, Pughe includes an illustrative panel titled "The Mania for Monopoly," which contrasts "Business as It Once Was" — depicted with various breeds sharing a single bone — to "As It Is," showing a scene dominated by a single large dog with the bone, and "As It Will Be—If Something Is Not Done Pretty Soon," which ominously shows no dogs at all, just a vacant landscape, presaging the desolation of unchecked monopolistic practices.Through this poignant use of visual metaphor, Pughe offers a critique of early 20th-century capitalism, reflecting the growing unease about the lack of competition and its implications for society.