why did thomas nast draw santa claus plump and smiling

if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0'; While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Thomas Nast drew this image of Jolly Old Santa Claus in 1881. Thomas Nast built upon this 19th-century persona when he began drawing Santa for Harpers Weekly. Beginning in 1881, she had published postcards depicting Nordic elves that also followed the Saint Nicholas tradition. Nast began to develop artistic skills in his youth and . How German Refugee Thomas Nast Invented How Santa Claus Looks Back During the Civil War. During the 1840s and 1850s, a series of Arctic explorations had piqued the publics interest in this region. Thomas Nast, (born September 27, 1840, Landau, Bavarian Palatinate [now Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany]died December 7, 1902, Guayaquil, Ecuador), American cartoonist, best known for his attack on the political machine of William M. Tweed in New York City in the 1870s. The Tammany Society emerged as the center for Democratic-Republican Party politics in the city in the early 19th century. He is believed to have donated doweries for three impoverished women and has brought murdered children back to life. Thomas Nast is the creator of the still-popular images of the Democratic Party represented by a donkey and the Republican Party represented by an elephant. October 24, 1874 Thomas Nast drew this image of Jolly Old Santa Claus in 1881. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. "This Is a White Man's Government.". He was also the man who invented Santa Claus. A strong supporter of the Republican party, African-American rights, and abolitionism, Nast vigorously attacked all that he found to be corrupt and immoral in 19th-century American politics. Du Bois in Paris. Nast continued to draw Santa for 30 years, changing the color of his coat from tan to the red he's known for today. Nasts caricature of the fleeing political boss led to Tweeds identification and arrest in Vigo, Spain, in 1876. It was into this world that the talented artist Thomas Nast arrived in the 1850s. Contains spam, fake content or potential malware, Artists Graphite Pencils, A Beginners Guide, Artists Magazine Reading List Great Art Books of 2022, Valuing Value The Value of Being an Artist, Sip, Paint, Sip | Sketches with Wine, Tea and Coffee. In fact, when Civil War cartoonist Thomas Nast drew Santa Claus for Harpers Weekly in 1862, Santa was a small elflike figure who supported the Union. Despite his political activism, Thomas Nast is better known for something else changing Christmas forever by creating the modern-day image of Santa Claus. Register or His father was a musician in a military band with strong political opinions, and he decided the family would be better off living in America. The History and Legend of Santa Claus. Thomas Nast did not invent the American Christmas, but the German immigrant did develop the iconic image of its central celebratory figure, Santa Claus. In fact, Nast's Santa was the inspiration behind the Coke bottles! A strong supporter of the Republican party, African-American rights, and abolitionism, Nast vigorously attacked all that he found to be corrupt and immoral in 19th-century American politics. Nast first drew Santa Claus for the 1862 Christmas season Harper's Weekly cover and cen. Goran Blazeski is one of the authors writing for The Vintage News, Join 1000s of subscribers and receive the best Vintage News in your mailbox for FREE, During the American Civil War, Southern children were fed excuses for Santas absence on Christmas, one excuse was that a Yankee had shot him, Harry Bensley the man who walked around Europe in an iron mask to win a bet, Police arrest a 72-year-old suburban grandfather suspected of being the Golden State Killer, Im not dead yet: some Buddhist monks followed self-mummification, Project Azorian: Howard Hughes secret mission, 1960s U.S. satellite that started transmitting again in 2013, The Walk of Shame in Game of Thrones historical inspiration, The only unsolved skyjacking case in U.S. history might have a break, Kurt Gdel became too paranoid to eat and died of starvation, Little Ease: One of the most feared torture devices in the Tower of London, The humble English girl who became Cora Pearl, Walt Disney softened the original Snow White story. Historians describe the debate over extending civil rights to former slaves that divided the country after the Civil War. The final piece of the puzzle was with the help of Coca-Cola. These immigrants, founders of Nieuw Amsterdam (the future New York), introduced Sinterklaas in their new homeland. He is credited with one particular miracle: liberating the city of Nancy, capital of the Duchy of Lorraine, from its Burgundian assailants. Be in trend easier than drink a glass of water. Worthpoint. Send us an email and we'll look for an expert who can crack it. A political cartoonist who originated the familar symbols of the Republican elephant and Democratic donkey [above from a post-war edition of Harper's Weekly showing a rampaging elephant heading blindly over a cliff while the donkey becomes the proverbial *** in a lion's skin], Nast is thought to have been the first artist . Santa goes by several names in different parts of the world and the way he's depicted varies, but in most countries he's shown as a somewhat heavy man in red. Unsurprisingly, the drawings from the Civil War often fell solidly in the realm of propaganda; Nast staunchly supported abolition, civil rights and the Republicans. This Santa is a rather generic bearded old man, seen from the side in a star-spangled jacket. You can, however, find many versions that have been hand-colored by their owners. Meanwhile in England, where he was known as Old Father Christmas no doubt inspired by the Scandinavian god Odin Santa Claus was often dressed in green, and wore a holly crown over his head. In exchange, Sinterklaas promises to visit them every year on his airborne sleigh and slip down the chimneys of this newly founded city to deliver gifts to the children. His use of Santa Claus was melancholy, sad for the faltering Union war effort in which Nast so fervently believed, and sad for the separation of soldiers and families. Almost certainly descended from pagan traditions in the pre-Christian British Isles, there is evidence for him from at least the 15th century. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. Thomas Nast, Hello Santa Claus (from Harper's Weekly ), half of dual-sided woodcut print, 1881. William Tweed was a New York politician who used his influence to turn much of the city government into his own personal system. STREAM LIVE GAMES, AND MORE * Watch NESN and NESN+ from any mobile device * Live-streaming coverage of every Red Sox and Bruins game * Access to Red Sox and Bruins postgame analysis & . Much earlier, the American cartoonist Thomas Nast fashioned Santa Clauss image on the pages of the American magazine, The character of Santa Claus is believed to descend from Bishop Nicholas of Myra, who lived in the 4, The cult of Saint Nicholas did not escape Europes religious upheavals. A few years later, in December 1823, Clement Clark Moore, a professor at New Yorks Episcopalian seminary, published a poem intended for his own children called. "Merry Old Santa Claus" by Thomas Nast (1881). Visit our corporate site (opens in new tab). fbq('init', '271837786641409'); Nast's Civil War era cartoons established the fat jolly elf from the North Pole with a sack filled with presents as the focus of the December 24 th dreams of hundreds of millions of children . In this view of Southern justice, a Northerner and a black man are accused of murder and then lynched, while in another panel a Southern gentleman accused of murder is humorously chided by the court. By Alexandra KielyBA Art History (with honors)Alexandra is an art historian and writer from New Jersey. German-born political cartoonist Thomas Nast gave America some of its most enduring symbols: the Republican elephant, the Democratic donkey, and Uncle Sam. Nast would also become known for the modern representation of Santa Claus as a jolly, rotund man living at the North Pole. Thomas Nast was most actively involved in political commentary during his long career. Discover the fascinating story of this iconic American garment. Coca-Cola may have claimed ownership of the symbol and widely circulated the image of a bearded and smiling Santa Claus, yet the brand didnt actually invent anything. His other Christmas illustrations showed children writing Santa letters, tracking his route, and even calling him on the telephone. Some of this rowdiness likely held over from the pagan Winter Solstice celebrations. In another illustration, Santa is seen with a. At the age of fifteen, he got his first job as a professional illustrator for Frank Leslies Illustrated News. The organized violenceof the Ku Klux Klan and the White League made life "worse than slavery" for Southern blacks. Nast first drew him for the January 3, 1863, edition of Harper's Weekly. As years passed by Nast was adding detailsto the story of Santas life through his illustrations. . Originally, children hoped to receive presents from him on St. Nicholass Day, celebrated on December 6th. googletag.cmd = googletag.cmd || []; German-born political cartoonist Thomas Nast gave America some of its most enduring symbols: the Republican elephant, the Democratic donkey, and Uncle Sam. Abraham Lincoln commented on Nast's work saying, "Thomas Nast was our best recruiting officer." His powerful cartoons stirred people into . Our Sites: WetCanvas | Southwest Art | Collector's Guide. Actually, the original Santa was rather slim, but cartoonists and commercial ads artists gave him a makeover. He supported Abraham Lincoln andPresident Abraham Lincolndescribed Nast as the best recruiting sergeant for the Union cause since his sketchesinspired readers to support the war effort. His illustrations supported the cause he believed was just, and the candidate he thought was best. You can find him in the department stores of Tokyo and Singapore as well as New York and London. Publishing regularly in Harper's. The origin of the red color of Santa Claus outfit is a mystery. As Nast told his first biographer, Albert Bigelow Paine, he started drawing at an early age, to the exclusion of pretty much all else. One of the first artists to define Santa Clauss modern image was Thomas Nast, an American cartoonist of the 19th century who immortalized Santa Claus with an illustration for the 3 January 1863 issue of Harpers Weekly in which Santa was dressed in an American flag, and had a puppet with the name Jeff written on it. In 1886 Nast stopped working forHarpers Weeklyand faced hard times in the next 6 years. How German Refugee Thomas Nast Invented How Santa Claus Looks Back During the Civil War. In Germany, where the Reformation led by the monk Martin Luther banned saint worship, Nicholas was replaced by ChristKindl (Christ Child). He created a modern version of Santa Claus (based on the traditional German figures of Sankt Nikolaus and Weihnachtsmann) and the political symbol of the elephant for the Republican Party (GOP). During Christmas in 1862 Nastfirst drew Santa Claus but the drawings firstappeared on the cover of the January 3, 1863, issue of Harpers Weekly,and shows Santa Claus visiting a Civil War Camp. As a political cartoonist for Harpers, the strongly abolitionist Nast created a stream of pro-Union, anti-Confederacy images throughout the American Civil War. Coca-Cola History In fact, when Civil War cartoonist Thomas Nast drew Santa Claus for Harpers Weekly in 1862, Santa was a small elflike figure who supported the Union. Nicholas was a historic 4th-century Greek saint (from an area now in modern day Turkey) who had a reputation for secret gift-giving, such as putting coins in the shoes left out for him. Even as Saint Nicholas was chased away from the Lutheran Protestant regions, he was welcomed in the Netherlands, despite its Calvinist majority. His drawings appeared for the first time in Harpers Weekly on March 19, 1859, when he illustrated a report exposing police corruption; Nast was 18 years old at that point. It was the 1930s, in the middle of the depression, and not a happy time for many people. This cartoon was published just a few weeks after President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation. September 2, 1876 Historians review some myths and misconceptions about the Reconstruction era. Thomas Nast and Santa Claus Thomas Nast was a 19th-century German-born American cartoonist and caricaturist who is considered to be the "Father of the American Cartoon." He is best known for his political cartoons, which appeared regularly in Harper's Weekly and were a major influence on public opinion during the Civil War and Reconstruction eras. His portrayals of Santa Claus helped to create the enduring image of a jolly, white-bearded man in a red suit who brings gifts to children on Christmas Eve. The Santa that Thomas drew combined Clement's description of Saint Nicholas from The Night Before Christmas with the all too familiar propaganda image of Uncle Sam. During the Civil War, a Nast drawing from 1862 depicted Nicholas as a peddler wearing the colors of the American flag; published on the cover of Harpers Weekly, he became the hero of the Unionists (anti-slavery Yankees). He presented an as yet unseen Santa Claus, a cheery fellow with ruddy cheeks: He had a broad face and a little round belly; That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly! From their roots in slavery to the Wild West, hippies, high fashion and hip-hop, jeans are the fabric on which the history of American ideology and politics is writ large. Known as The President Maker, Nasts persuasive, and sometimes scathing, cartoons proved crucial in influencing the nations vote and affecting the outcomes of six presidential elections between 1864 and 1884. It is credited with being the first image to establish all the visual elements we associate with Americas version of Santa Claus we recognize today. Did Thomas Nast have a wife and children? Its widely believed that todays Santa wears a red suit because thats the colour associated with CocaCola, but this isnt the case. Live Science is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Thomas Nast, (born September 27, 1840, Landau, Bavarian Palatinate [now Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany]died December 7, 1902, Guayaquil, Ecuador), American cartoonist, best known for his attack on the political machine of William M. Tweed in New York City in the 1870s. His use of Santa Claus was melancholy, sad for the faltering Union war effort in which Nast so fervently believed, and sad for the separation of soldiers and families. Nasts style later evolved, and Santa Claus became less austere. And in December 1884, merrily merging tradition and modern life, Nast depicted Santa speaking on the telephone, the brand new invention of the period! Thomas Nast popularized the Democratic donkey and the Republican elephant as political party symbols, and made the Tammany tiger, the emblem of a firefighting club associated with the Tammany Ring in New York, the symbol of ferocious and destructive political corruption. March 23, 1867 Nast arrived back in New York in1861 and in September he married Sarah Edwards. Thomas Nast's cartoon shows a donkey in a lion's skin scaring an elephant and other animals. Many saints acquire followings, and its perhaps unsurprising that one known for saving children and at-risk young women would find widespread popularity. It was he who created the symbol of the Republican elephant and the Democratic donkey, and who popularized the figure of Uncle Sam. Over his career, Thomas Nast created or popularized the now-familiar images of the Democratic donkey, the Republican elephant, Uncle Sam, and Columbia (a female personification of America). Probably not, but he is the one remembered in history. Nasts illustrations in. She holds a bachelors degree in Communication from Hofstra University where she graduated with honors. He particularly targeted corrupt New York City politician William Boss Tweed, head of the powerful Tammany Hall political group. login to share thoughts or upload a photo of your latest creation. His new fame spread all over the New World. . He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf., In this poem inspired by the folk legends of the German, Dutch and Norwegian communities settled in the United States, one no longer recognizes the austere Bishop of Myra! Which aspect of Upton Sinclairs life best explains his reasons for writing The Jungle? While the roots of the Santa story go back hundreds of years it is undeniable that the soft drink companys advertising campaigns around the Christmas holidays embedded their image of Santa firmly in the nations imagination. Instead, it would be illustrations by an immigrant living in New York City in the coming years that would take the St. Nicholas portrayed in the poem and turn him into modern-day Santa Claus. Santa first appeared in Harper's Weekly in 1863, draped in an American flag and visiting a Union Army camp (it was a bit of Civil War propaganda). Before the CocaCola Santa was even created, St Nick had appeared in numerous illustrations and written descriptions wearing a scarlet coat. He published his initial illustration of Santa Claus in his first year with the magazine. Zora Neale Hurston: Claiming a Space (espaol). Centered around a picture of a happy black family at a hearth, the image depicts slaves' miserable past in scenes of auctions and physical abuse -- and a view of a future as equals to their former masters. Nast made 33 Harpers Christmas illustrations from 1863 through 1886, and almost all of them feature Santa. The Fourteenth Amendment, granting black men the right to vote, was ratified in July 1868. Happy Birthday General Robert E. Lee Confederate General Robert Edward Lee was born on this day in 1807. Thomas Nast was a 19th-century German-born American cartoonist and caricaturist who is considered to be the Father of the American Cartoon. He is best known for his political cartoons, which appeared regularly in Harpers Weekly and were a major influence on public opinion during the Civil War and Reconstruction eras. What impact did Thomas Nast have? Unsurprisingly, the drawings from the Civil War often fell solidly in the realm of propaganda; Nast staunchly supported abolition, civil rights and the Republicans. Living in New York City, he dropped out of school in favor of studying drawing with fellow German-American Theodore Kaufmann and at the National Academy of Design. Nast said he based his Santa on a German version of Saint Nicholas, Pelze-Nicol. "Without Thomas Nast, our vision of Santa Claus might be very different. This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Thomas-Nast, Spartacus Educational - Biography of Thomas Nast, Thomas Nast - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up), Thomas Nast: "This Is a White Man's Government", Thomas Nast: Boss Tweed and the Tweed ring. 'https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/fbevents.js'); The Feast of Saint Nicholas painting executed in the 17th century by Jan Steen for the first time depicts a family celebrating the Feast of Saint Nicholas. Santas Portrait (below),a color illustration by the noted German born American political cartoonist Thomas Nast, appeared in an 1881 edition of Harpers Magazine. The poem was an instant success and played a key role in introducing a portly and larger-than-life Santa Claus to the collective American imagination. He supported Abraham Lincoln and President Abraham Lincoln described Nast as the "best recruiting sergeant" for the Union cause since his sketches inspired readers to support the war effort. Nasts images provide the first known references of Santa Claus having a toy workshop and living at the North Pole. It is because of Nast that we have the donkey and the elephants as symbols for the two major political parties in the United States, it is because of Nast that we have a goateed Uncle Sam, and it is because of Nast that we have the modern Santa Claus. His image of Santa Clauswas the inspiration for the Coca Cola companys modern Santa Claus. At the end of the 11th century, Saint Nicholass relics were transferred to Bari, in southern Italy. {if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function(){n.callMethod? Why does ulnar nerve injury causes claw hand? Nast didn't invent fat Santa out of whole cloth, though, and may have modeled his depiction after the titular character of "A Visit from St. Nicholas" ("Twas the Night Before Christmas . The original works were painted in oil, and then adapted for posters, billboards, and magazines. Why did European countries adopt the euro? In fact, Ulysses S. Grant later commended Nast for his powerful support of the Union, saying that Nast did as much as any one man to preserve the Union and bring the war to an end. Nasts Santa appeared as a kindly figure representing Christmas, the holiday celebrating the birth of Christ. Most often asked questions related to bitcoin. His image, which included elements from the 1823 poem "A Visit From St. Nicholas" and the cartoonist's German . He was a critic of Democratic Representative Boss Tweed and the Tammany Hall Democratic party political machine. He received particular affection from New York City, where the influence of so-called Knickerbockers, the old New York families descended from original Dutch settlers, was strong. All Rights Reserved. In those decades, a familiar Santa Claus emerges round-bellied, ruddy-nosed, and pipe-smoking, with white hair, beard, and iconic suit. Nast gives higher purpose to the horror of war in his multi-part depiction of the past lives of African Americans and the future Emancipation could bring them. Thomas H. Nast, Photograped by Sarony, Union Square, N.Y. She runs her own website, A Scholarly Skater, is a regular contributor to DailyArt Magazine, and has written two online courses. The city of Port now called Saint-Nicolas-de-Port and renowned for its fairs and markets extended Saint Nicholass worship well beyond the Duchy, to Germany, Belgium, Poland and the Netherlands, where he became known as Sinterklaas.

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