The ‘Funny’ Little Boy in Trouble, from "Harper's Weekly"

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Artist/Maker Thomas Nast (American, born Germany, 1840 - 1902)

Datepublished November 28, 1874

MediumWood engraving on newsprint

DimensionsComposition: 10 5/8 × 9 3/16 in. (27 × 23.3 cm) Sheet: 15 11/16 in. × 11 in. (39.8 × 27.9 cm)

Credit LineGift of Professor Emeritus Jay Williams, Class of 1954

Object number2019.13.262

Not on view

DescriptionRobed woman wearing helmet with wreath on it, a breastplate with a wide-mouthed face, and holding a book whose cover reads "The / book / of / wisdom / (common / sense.)" sits on a chair. Shield on ground to the left of chair has same open-mouth faced in the center. Woman is holding a cloth up to the nose of a small man. He is wearing a sandals and a short toga and has a trumpet and sack reading "The / N.Y. / Herald." handing at his hip, held to his toga by a belt. To the right of man's feet a scroll is on the ground reading "The / N.Y. Herald Nov. 10 / 1874. / Awful calamity, / the wild animals broken / loose from central park / terrible scenes of / mutilation. / A shocking Sabbath / carnival of death. / Savage brutes / at large. / the killed and wounded. [next part of inscription is on curled part of scroll at end] Moral of the / whole.- It is a huge / hoax." To right of scroll a wooden toy donkey lies split on the ground. The head is inscribed with "Caesar", and the body with "Third / term." Behind it a bin holds papers reading "Herald's / self-praise.", "Herald's / prophecies", "Anything for a sensation.", "Third term.", "We want the / Pope / to come to / America.", "Personals.", "Belittleing everything", "Centennial / dix.", and "Buchu [blocked]". Behind that a small robed man with animal head in robe holding scroll hangs off wall with a sign to the right reading "Caesar dead." Signs to the right read "'The president has issued / his proclamation recommend / -ing Nov.26 as a day of / Thanksgiving.- Is there / nothing that he can / do before that date / to make the American / people more grateful.' / The dignified / N.Y. Herald. / Oct. 30.", and "The / roll / call / of the / N.Y. Herald". Sign above reads "Who / wrote / bacon." To right of this small figure on the wall holds flagpole reading "The north pole." Wall behind seated woman reads "And / learn this lesson, / draw thy sword in right. / Wisdom and goodness / to the vile / seem vile. / Well, God give them wisdom that have / it, and those that are fools let / them use their talents. / The common curse of mankind. / Folly and ignorance. / Such short-liv'd wits do wither / as they grow. / Mend your speech / a little lest it / may mar your / fortunes. / W. Shaksp [blocked] / Not / bacon." Captioned "J. G. B., JUN. 'I was ridiculed, mocked, and held up to scorn when I trotted out Caesarism, and the president of the United States said it was beneath his dignity to / answer 'the mysterious influence' of the New York Herald. Now they say it was cruel to let Central Park wild animals loose, and that fellow that played so nicely / with me on my hobby said I ought to be sent into the Tombs. But, oh, didn't I frighten the people!' / MINERVA. 'If you had a little dignity it might prevent your indulging in so many practical jokes.'" typeset beneath title in black ink.

Collections

American Art

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 left composition.

Inscribed Title typeset beneath image in black ink. Publisher banner headline typeset above image in black ink: "Harper's Weekly / Journal of Civilization / Vol. XVIII.-No. 935: New York, Saturday, November 28, 1874."