Dropping the Pilot

"Dropping the Pilot". Caricature by Sir John Tenniel (1820–1914), first published in the British magazine Punch, 29 March 1890.

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, 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, as Bismarck's political views were too different from Wilhelm's.

After the cartoon's publication, Tenniel received a commission from Archibald Primrose, 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."

The cartoon is well known in Germany and often used in history textbooks, under the title German: Der Lotse geht von Bord, (literally, The pilot leaves the ship).

Adaptations

• Dropping the pilot, referring to Kaiser Wilhelm's removal from the list of Royal Navy admirals in 1914, by David Low
• Dropping the pilot, referring to Winston Churchill, by Daniel Bishop
• Steve Bell of The Guardian has adapted the cartoon:
  • Vice-president faces isolation after key ally leaves Pentagon
  • Iraqis celebrate the withdrawal of American combat troops
  • David Cameron's response to Coulson's guilt
• Martin Rowson of The Guardian has also adapted the cartoon:
  • Steve Hilton's Exit
  • Undropping the Pilot