Skip to main content
Artist/Maker
Thomas Nast
(American, born Germany, 1840 - 1902)
Datepublished November 7, 1874
MediumWood engraving on newsprint
DimensionsComposition: 8 13/16 × 13 1/2 in. (22.4 × 34.3 cm)
Sheet: 10 3/8 × 15 5/16 in. (26.4 × 38.9 cm)
Credit LineGift of Professor Emeritus Jay Williams, Class of 1954
Object number2019.13.258
On view
DescriptionCaptioned "An ass, having put on the lion's skin, roamed about in the forest, and amused himself by frightening all the foolish animals he met with in his wandering" from "Shakespeare or Bacon" typeset beneath title in black ink. This is Nast's first use of an elephant to represent the Republican vote/Republican party.
Illustration shows a braying ass in a lion's coat and "N.Y. Herald" collar frightening animals in the forest. A giraffe (N. Y. Tribune), a unicorn (N.Y. Times), and an owl (New York World) represent newspapers and an ostrich with it's head buried represents "Temperence." An elelphant, "The Republican Party," stands near broken planks (Inflation, Repudiation, Home Rule, and Re-construction) over a pit labeled "Southern Claimes. Chaos. Rum." A fox (Democratic Party) has it's forepaws on the plank "Reform. (Tammany. K.K.)" The title refers to U.S. Grant's possible bid for a third presidential term which was criticized by N.Y. Herald owner and editor James Gordon Bennett, Jr.
Collections
Additional Details
Exhibition History
2024-2025
Clinton, NY. The Ruth and Elmer Wellin Museum of Art, Hamilton College. "Menagerie: Animals in Art from the Wellin Museum," September 7, 2024 –June 8, 2025 (no cat.). Work exhibited in first rotation only, Fall 2024 semester.
Clinton, NY. The Ruth and Elmer Wellin Museum of Art, Hamilton College. "Menagerie: Animals in Art from the Wellin Museum," September 7, 2024 –June 8, 2025 (no cat.). Work exhibited in first rotation only, Fall 2024 semester.
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. Page number "912," publisher, and publication date "November 7, 1874" typeset along right perimeter of image at top of the sheet in black ink.
Thomas Nast
Date: published February 13, 1875
Medium: Wood engraving on newsprint
Object number: 2019.13.270
Thomas Nast
Date: published June 26, 1875
Medium: Wood engraving on newsprint
Object number: 2019.13.288
Thomas Nast
Date: published November 28, 1874
Medium: Wood engraving on newsprint
Object number: 2019.13.262
Thomas Nast
Date: published October 24, 1874
Medium: Wood engraving on newsprint
Object number: 2019.13.256
Thomas Nast
Date: unknown
Medium: Wood engraving on paper
Object number: 1944.1.59
Thomas Nast
Date: published December 5, 1874
Medium: Wood engraving on newsprint
Object number: 2019.13.264
Thomas Nast
Date: published October 24, 1874
Medium: Wood engraving on newsprint
Object number: 2019.13.257
Thomas Nast
Date: published May 13, 1876
Medium: Wood engraving on newsprint
Object number: S2019.2.129
Antoine-Louis Barye
Date: modeled c. 1832
Medium: Bronze
Object number: 1994.21
Henry Horenstein
Date: 1995-2001
Medium: Cibachrome
Object number: 2019.18.14
Thomas Nast
Date: published March 27, 1875
Medium: Wood engraving on newsprint
Object number: 2019.13.277
Thomas Nast
Date: published March 8, 1884
Medium: Wood engraving on newsprint
Object number: 2019.13.588