Re Painting:
I was wrong. He’s not French. I found this:
The Doctrine of Monroe - Item # 1019803
By Ferris, Jean Leon Jerome (1863-1930). Originally oil on canvas. (Additional Information - attempt to make Venezuela’s President Cipriano Castro to recognize his country’s financial obligations Roosevelt (1858-1919) Wilhelm (1859-1941) British warships also involved Roosevelt corollary to the Monroe Doctrine)
https://www.greatbigcanvas.com/view/the-doctrine-of-monroe,1019803/
Roosevelt’s corollary to Doctrine:
The corollary stated that not only were the nations of the Western Hemisphere not open to colonization by European powers, but that the United States had the responsibility to preserve order and protect life and property in those countries.
“Chronic wrongdoing...may in America, as elsewhere, ultimately require intervention by some civilized nation,” he announced in his annual message to Congress in December 1904, “and in the Western Hemisphere the adherence of the United States to the Monroe Doctrine may force the United States, however reluctantly, in flagrant cases of such wrongdoing or impotence, to the exercise of an international police power.”
Roosevelt tied his policy to the Monroe Doctrine, and it was also consistent with his foreign policy of “walk softly, but carry a big stick.” Roosevelt stated that in keeping with the Monroe Doctrine, the United States was justified in exercising “international police power” to put an end to chronic unrest or wrongdoing in the Western Hemisphere.
So I got Professor Wifey over to check out the painting. She see’s the glove on the floor as a throw down challenge. Throwing a glove down is a traditional challenge. I reckon it’s better than “taste my leather”. This is supported by Castro’s “preening” arrogant stance. His back to Roosevelt also supports that assumption. She thinks stomping on the newspaper is a dig at the press, especially since there is more newspaper in the trash.