A Tammany Rat, from "Harper's Weekly"

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

Datepublished November 7, 1874

MediumWood engraving on newsprint

DimensionsComposition: 10 3/4 × 9 1/4 in. (27.3 × 23.5 cm) Sheet: 15 11/16 × 11 1/4 in. (39.8 × 28.6 cm)

Credit LineGift of Professor Emeritus Jay Williams, Class of 1954

Object number2019.13.259

Not on view

DescriptionBottom right man facing into illustration towards destruction scene stepping on slab reading "T [blocked] Man", slab below it reads "Hall". To the left of man empty frame of box reads "N.Y. City Treasure". Below that in far bottom left quotation reads "'The great / reformer.'" Six circles above and to the right of this smaller section are interconnected and each have illustrations in them. Top left ring shows a rat under a sign reading "Tammany / Hall." Below the circle reads "The roof that sheltered him for years;", and above the first ring text extending to the right above the second ring reads "The chairman of the Democratic State Central Committee." Second ring interlocked with the first, and to the right of it. This ring shows the rat climbing onto surface with what appears to be sinking ship labelled "Tammany" in background. Inside ring reads "When it was 'blowing over,'. Third ring interlocked with second, and to the right of it. Inside ring man carrying briefcase reading "S.J.T. / Reputation." walks toward building with sign reading "Broadw [not in image] / Bank." To the left of him Tammany hall is collapsing. Text inside of circle reads "He saved himself by", text below it in ring reads "the skin of his teeth", text below ring reads "and / then / kicked the / ruins". Texts above third ring on right side reads "The connecting links." Fifth ring is interlocked with forth, and below it. Inside fifth ring an animal wearing a hooded robe with a cross on the left arm and holding a bible stands in a podium. A sign behind him to the right reads "Reform meeting". Below him animals look up at him. Text in ring reads "The shrewd lawyer and astute politician. For the part he played in the campaign with overthrew Tammany." Sixth ring is interlocked with the fifth, and below it. In it a rat sits with a collar reading "Samuel / J. Tilden." and a sign attached to his neck reading "This is the / rat / catcher." The rat's tail extends out of the ring and below it reads "Not to be continued in our next." Inside the ring above the rat text reads "Rat-catcher / for the / State of New York."

Collections

American Art

Additional Details

Provenance 2019: Hamilton College (Ruth and Elmer Wellin Museum of Art), by gift of Jay G. Williams.

Markings Name written in script top right, pencil.

Signature Signed "Th Nast" in block at lower right 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. 932: New York, Saturday, November 7, 1874."