Description

Artist: THOMAS NAST (American cartoonist, 1840 – 1902) creator of Iconic images of Santa Claus; the Republican elephant; the Democratic donkey; and “Uncle Sam” Title: Uncle Same - "It is a Bad Rule that Don't Work Both Ways" Medium: Original Wood Engraving - 1870 to 1872 Signature: Signed by the Artist in the plate, as shown Size: 16 x 11 inches Printer/ Publisher: Harper's Weekly Provenance: Hatay Stratton Fine Art, Northampton, Massachusetts About the Artist: Thomas Nast is considered the seminal editorial cartoonist, considered to be the "Father of the American Cartoon". He was a critic of Democratic Representative "Boss" Tweed and the Tammany Hall Democratic party political machine. He created a modern version of Santa Claus and the political symbol of the elephant for the Republican Party (GOP). Popular belief posits that ThomasNast created “Uncle Sam” (the male personification of the United States Federal Government), “Columbia” (the female personification of American values), and the Democratic donkey.