Jacksonian Democracy Enjoys a Special Treat, 1837. Peter Waddell, The Great Cheese, oil on canvas, 48 x 96.

President Andrew Jackson was famous for his public receptions, open to all. Some detractors described the crowds as mobs. The receptions were attended by hundreds, from the highest senator to the lowest rag-a-muffin of the city climbing in the windows. The centerpiece of this reception was a mammoth round of cheese, weighing 1,400 pounds.