Drawing

The object of today's history lesson is the well drawn fellow above one Thomas Nast, born this day 1840 in Landau, Germany. The drawing above is a self-portrait by Mr. Nast. After going to sea on a French man of war, and then later on an American ship, Nast joined his family in New York City. The bright lights of the Big Apple were where he was going to make himself a star, and a hero. It was by drawing lovely cartoons that Mr. Nast became known as the "Father of the American Cartoon." All of us fans of gentle, and not so gentle satire owe him a debt of gratitude. All the political cartoons that we are sometimes amused by, sometimes offended by, and sometimes puzzled by, are the result of the drawing talent that nature bestowed upon Mr. Nast. Being artistically challenged ( I can just about draw a stick man), I can appreciated his talent even while I am eaten up with jealousy about his about to sketch drawings of such complexity. Perhaps his greatest claim to fame are the political cartoons he drew attacking Boss Tweed and the corruption ring of Tammany Hall that had been running City Hall in New York City for years. His cartoons are credited with being a major reason in Boss Tweed's downfall. In fact, when Tweed tried to flee the country, first to Cuba then to Spain, he was recognized by authorities in Spain by a drawing of Tweed done by Nast. He contributed many of the drawing that today we take as icons. He was the first to draw Santa Claus as the fat, jolly bastard he is depicted as today. He drew and attached the donkey as a symbol for the Democratic Party, and the elephant that is the symbol for the Republican party. He also gave us the image by which American is mostly known by today, that of Uncle Sam. In 1902, he was appointed as Consul General to Ecuador by then president Theodore Roosevelt. It was this job that brought his drawing career to its final conclusion, he died there of yellow fever later that year, but for giving us all those enduring images, and for showing us less gifted what it is to actually be able to draw, Thomas Nast (September 27th, 1840- December 7th 1902, at the age of 62), you are my hero of the day.