Curatorial Narrative Frederick Burr Opper’s “A Desperate Attempt to Solve the Mormon Question” (1884) occupies a unique position within the Victorian caricature tradition. Executed in the linear style characteristic of the era, Opper’s brushwork conveys a sense of tension and urgency. The palette, dominated by reds and browns, imbues the composition with an air of foreboding, its chromatic structure echoing the dark, brooding architecture of the Gothic Revival period.As “A Desperate Attempt” is enlarged to 69×44 inches, its spatial rhythm shifts in response to the increased scale. The still life arrangement assumes a more imposing presence, its atmospheric weight influenced by the dominant red tones that seem to bleed into the surrounding space. In a luxury interior environment, this enlargement would pair particularly well with rich, dark woods such as walnut or ebony, their grain patterns echoing the brushstrokes of Opper’s work.