Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jul 4, 2026

Dropping the Pilot

Dropping the Pilot is a political cartoon by Sir John Tenniel, first published in the British magazine Punch on 29 March 1890. It depicts Chancellor Otto von Bismarck as a maritime pilot who is stepping off a ship, perhaps a reference to Plato's ship of state, idly and unconcernedly watched by a young Wilhelm II, German Emperor. Bismarck had resigned as Chancellor at Wilhelm's demand just ten days earlier on 19 March because of political differences.

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Dropping the Pilot. Cartoon by Sir John Tenniel (1820–1914), first published in the British magazine Punch, 29 March 18901 source ↗

Dropping the Pilot is a political cartoon by Sir John Tenniel, first published in the British magazine Punch on 29 March 1890.1 It depicts Chancellor Otto von Bismarck as a maritime pilot who is stepping off a ship, perhaps a reference to Plato's ship of state,1 idly and unconcernedly watched by a young Wilhelm II, German Emperor. Bismarck had resigned as Chancellor at Wilhelm's demand just ten days earlier on 19 March23 because of political differences.

After the cartoon's publication, Tenniel received a commission from the 5th Earl of Rosebery to create a copy to be sent to Bismarck himself. The former chancellor reportedly replied, "It is indeed a fine one".4

The cartoon is well known in Germany and often used in history textbooks and school books, under the title The Pilot Leaves the Ship (German: Der Lotse geht von Bord).1

Adaptations

  • Prophecy? (Dropping the Pilot) by Will Dyson, 1914
    Prophecy? (Dropping the Pilot) by Will Dyson, 1914
  • The Haunted Ship by Bernard Partridge, 1915
    The Haunted Ship by Bernard Partridge, 1915
  • Dropping the Pirate by William H. Walker, 1918
    Dropping the Pirate by William H. Walker, 1918
  • Dropping the pilot, referring to Kaiser Wilhelm's removal from the list of Royal Navy admirals in 1914, by David Low5
  • Dropping the pilot,6 referring to Winston Churchill, by Daniel Bishop7
  • Cartoon8 Dropping the Pilots showing Khrushchev looking down as the four "Pilots" leave the ship of state.
  • Cartoon9 showing the pilot Abraham Lincoln being "Dropped" from the "Grand Old Party" By Captain Barry Goldwater
  • Cartoon10 showing Margaret Thatcher being "Dropped as the Pilot"
  • Steve Bell of The Guardian has adapted the cartoon:
    • Vice-president faces isolation after key ally leaves Pentagon11
    • Iraqis celebrate the withdrawal of American combat troops12
    • David Cameron's response to Coulson's guilt13
    • Dropping the pornbot (Resignation of Damian Green)14
  • Martin Rowson of The Guardian has also adapted the cartoon repeatedly:
    • Steve Hilton's Exit15
    • Undropping the Pilot16
    • The resignation of Michael Flynn17
    • Dropping The Pilate on the resignation of Liz Truss after only 45 days in office18
References

References

  1. "Dropping the Pilot (1890)". Wilhelmine Germany and the First World War (1890-1918). German History in Documents and Images (GHDI). Retrieved 1 March 2014. "Here, we see a weary Bismarck descending the ladder of the 'ship' Germany, which he had steered for almost 20 years as chancellor. A young Wilhelm II looks on from the deck".
  2. The Times, London: Times Newspapers Ltd., 19 March 1890.
  3. The New York Times, New York: The New York Times Company, 19 March 1890.
  4. Engen, Rodney K. Sir John Tenniel: Alice's White Knight, Aldershot, Hants, England: Scolar Press, 1991, 140–142.
  5. Low, David. "Dropping the Pilot". politicalcartoon.co.uk. Archived from the original on 14 May 2020. Retrieved 8 July 2010.
  6. Bishop, Daniel. "Dropping the Pilot: Winston Churchill". www.wepsite.de. Archived from the original on 21 January 2025. Retrieved 6 February 2026.
  7. Bishop, Daniel. "Dropping the Pilot". Library of Congress. Retrieved 8 July 2010.
  8. "Dropping the Pilots". ssl.c.photoshelter.com. Archived from the original on 21 January 2025. Retrieved 6 February 2026.
  9. "Dropping the Pilot: Abraham Lincoln". i.pinimg.com. 15 July 1964.
  10. "Dropping the Pilot: By Force if Necessary". cdn.c.photoshelter.com.
  11. Bell, Steve (10 November 2006). "Vice-president faces isolation after key ally leaves Pentagon". The Guardian. Retrieved 8 July 2010.
  12. Bell, Steve (1 July 2009). "Iraqis celebrate the withdrawal of American combat troops". The Guardian. Retrieved 8 July 2010.
  13. Bell, Steve (25 June 2014). "David Cameron's response to Coulson's guilt". The Guardian. Retrieved 6 July 2014.
  14. Bell, Steve. "Steve Bell on Damian Green's resignation – cartoon". The Guardian. Retrieved 22 December 2017.
  15. Rowson, Martin (5 March 2012). "Martin Rowson on Steve Hilton's exit". Guardian Opinion cartoon. The Guardian. Retrieved 5 March 2012.
  16. Rowson, Martin (7 December 2014). "Martin Rowson on Alex Salmond standing in the 2015 general election". Guardian Opinion cartoon. The Guardian. Retrieved 7 December 2014.
  17. Rowson, Martin (14 February 2017). "Martin Rowson on the resignation of Michael Flynn". Guardian Opinion cartoon. The Guardian. Retrieved 14 February 2017.
  18. Rowson, Martin. "Martin Rowson on the sinking of Liz Truss – cartoon". The Guardian. Retrieved 9 November 2022 – via www.theguardian.com.
External links

Media related to Dropping the Pilot at Wikimedia Commons