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Artist/Maker
Thomas Nast
(American, born Germany, 1840 - 1902)
Datepublished December 5 , 1863
MediumWood engraving on newsprint
DimensionsComposition: 20 1/8 × 13 3/8 in. (51.1 × 34 cm)
Sheet: 22 in. × 15 15/16 in. (55.9 × 40.5 cm)
Credit LineGift of Professor Emeritus Jay Williams, Class of 1954
Object number2019.13.47
Not on view
DescriptionNast replicates the sentiments of Thanksgiving through his heptaptych. The composition features three registers: the first, containing three scenes, spans a fourth of the composition's height; the second, containing one scene, spans the next two-fourths of the composition's height; and the last, contain the remaining three scenes, fills the last fourth of the composition. In the first register, Nast depicts "The Army", "Washington" and "Lincoln", and "The Navy". The first and last scenes are framed by a pointed arch while the middle scene features a rounded arch. In "The Army", a group is gathered around a single speaker, standing at a podium adorned by an American flag. The men bear serious expressions, positioned in front of another flag waving in the wind. The next illustration features "Washington" and "Lincoln" both facing each other in hunched over positions. The first President is outdoors, flanked by a tree on his right and his fallen hat on the left. Lincoln rests on a chair that has been pulled out from his desk, a bookshelf elucidates the interior setting. Mirroring "The Army", "The Navy" also displays a group of solemn men gathered around a speaker, who stands atop a podium draped with the flag. A boat in the background reflects the caption. A single scene delineated by a concentric border dominates the second register. Mimicking the presidential scene directly above, Lady Liberty kneels in front of podium inscribed 'Union", on top of which rests a wreath. The flag is suspended at columns over the podium. In the background, a statue of Washington stands erect in mid stride, while Lady Liberty's sword and shield lies in the foreground. This scene is captioned "The Union Alter", centered beneath the illustration in block. An array of flags barely just out from behind the circular border. In the lower register, two circular scenes sandwich a rectangular depiction. The first concentric illustration, titled "Town", demonstrates a gathering within a hall, a man sits atop a podium, while the second concentric illustration, titled "Country", features a mass of people kneeling before a haystack. Bridging these two scenes is a depiction of a gathering of African-Americans. Captioned "Emancipation", centered within the scene, the image features people praying around a central figure who gestures upwards.
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Additional Details
Provenance
2019: Hamilton College (Ruth and Elmer Wellin Museum of Art), by gift of Jay G. Williams.
Signature
Signed "Th Nast" in block at lower right composition.
Inscribed
Title typeset beneath image in black ink.
Thomas Nast
Date: published March 30, 1872
Medium: Wood engraving on newsprint
Object number: 2019.13.171
Thomas Nast
Date: published November 7, 1874
Medium: Wood engraving on newsprint
Object number: 2019.13.259
Thomas Nast
Date: published September 5, 1868
Medium: Wood engraving on newsprint
Object number: 2019.13.100
Date: c. 2nd century CE
Medium: Marble
Object number: 1986.7.2
Date: c. 2nd century CE
Medium: Marble
Object number: 1986.7.1
Unknown artist
Date: probably first half of 19th century
Medium: Gouache and gold over white ground on paper
Object number: 1986.26
Thomas Nast
Date: published June 27, 1874
Medium: Wood engraving on newsprint
Object number: 2019.13.245
Unknown artist
Date: c. 883-859 BCE
Medium: Gypsum with remnants of red pigment
Object number: 1868.5
Unknown artist
Date: 1875-1900
Medium: Gelatin silver print
Object number: S2018.2.137