Nast, Thomas, 1840-1902

Cartoonist, artist, lecturer, and later diplomat; of Morristown, N.J.; died in Ecuador while he was serving as American consul-general.

German-born American cartoonist; contributed to Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper, New York Illustrated News, and Harper's Weekly; traveled to Europe in 1860; lived in New York City and Morristown, N.J.; appointed consul at Guayaquil, Ecuador in 1902 where he died of yellow fever 07 Dec. 1902.

German-born American cartoonist; contributed to Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper, New York Illustrated News, the Harper's Weekly; traveled to Europe in 1860; lived in New York City and Morristown, N.J.; appointed consul at Guayaquil, Ecuador in 1902 where he died of yellow fever 07 Dec. 1902.

American cartoonist.

American cartoonist; founder of Nast Weekly, later consul in Ecuador.

Thomas Nast was a 19th-century caricaturist and editorial cartoonist and is considered to be the father of American political cartooning. Born in Germany, he came to New York in 1846. He began work for HARPER'S WEEKLY, and in 1860 went to England for the NEW YORK ILLUSTRATED NEWS to depict the prize fight between Heenan and Sayers, the famous boxers. He then joined Garibaldi in Italy as artist for the ILLUSTRATED LONDON NEWS. Also In the early 1860s, he married Sarah Edwards. He was well known in his time for his political cartoons supporting American Indians and Chinese Americans, and for advocating the abolition of slavery. Nast became a close friend of President Grant, and the two families shared regular dinners until Grant's death. He lived for many years in Morristown, New Jersey, and in 1902 Theodore Roosevelt appointed him as United States Consul General to Guayaquil, Ecuador, in South America, where he died of yellow fever.

Illustrator, cartoonist; New York, N.Y.

Thomas Nast was a cartoonist and illustrator. Born in Landau Germany, Nast was brought to New York City in 1846. He studied under Theodore Kaufmann and Alfred Fredericks and attended the National Academy. Around 1855 he became an illustrator for Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper. In 1859 Nast joined the staff of the New York Illustrated News. In 1862 he became a staff artist for Harper's Weekly where he remained for nearly 25 years. After leaving Harper's, Nast contributed to a number of other periodicals and from 1892 to 1893 published his own, Nast's Weekly. He died on Dec. 7, 1902, shortly after reaching his post as Consul at Guayaquil (Ecuador).

Thomas Nast was born September 26, 1840 in Landau, Germany. His family immigrated to New York City in 1846. Nast, who studied art, found his first job as a reportorial artist at age 15 with "Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper". He was hired by "Harper's Weekly" in 1862 to produce sketches of the fighting during the Civil War. His drawing for "Harper's Weekly" eventually evolved into doing political caricatures. During his career with "Harper's Weekly", which lasted until 1886, he produced approximately 2200 political cartoons. He is famous for his attacks on "Boss" Tweed and the "Tammany Hall" political machine in New York City in the 1860's and 1870's. He is also credited with creating the elephant and donkey political symbols for the Republican and Democratic parties. Nast died in 1902 of yellow fever while serving as the consul general to Ecuador.

Thomas Nast was born in Landau, Bavaria in 1840 and with his family, soon moved to New York. Nast, best known as a political cartoonist, also illustrated children's books in the later half of the 19th century.

American caricaturist, cartoonist, illustrator, and painter. Furthered the development of the modern political cartoon.

Cartoonist and illustrator; New York, N.Y.

Thomas Nast, German-born American cartoonist. In 1861 he married Sarah Edwards of New York; the family lived first and New York and later in Morristown, New Jersey. Nast contributed drawings to Frank Leslie's illustrated newspaper, the New York illustrated news (for which he covered the Heenan-Sayers fight of 1860 and Garibaldi's campaign), and Harper's weekly (in which appeared Nast's Civil War drawings, and later political cartoons). In 1902 Nast was appointed consul at Guayaquil, Ecuador, where he died of yellow fever on Dec. 7, 1902.

Thomas Nast is considered to be the single most important political cartoonist in American history. He was born in Germany in 1840, but was raised in New York City after his father decided the conservative Bavarian government was too oppressive. Inspired in part by the famous cartoonist John Tenniel, the young Nast sought to have his drawings published in the national magazines. He made his first sale at the age of 15 and in 1862 he secured a full-time position at the recently-founded "Harper's Weekly", where he would spend most of his career.

Throughout the Civil War, Nast used his cartoons to build public support for both Abraham Lincoln and the anti-slavery movement. He continued to support African American civil rights after the war, even lampooning Andrew Johnson for undermining Lincoln's policies. In 1869, Nast turned his attentions to the corrupt political machine in New York led by William "Boss" Tweed.

Thomas Nast also developed numerous American cultural icons, including the Democratic donkey, the Republican elephant, and the thin, goatee-sporting Uncle Sam. After leaving "Harper's Weekly" in 1886, Nast struggled financially until President Theodore Roosevelt appointed him U.S. consul in Ecuador in 1902. He died of yellow fever late in that year, at the age of 62.

Biography

Thomas Nast is considered to be the single most important political cartoonist in American history. He was born in Germany in 1840, but was raised in New York City after his father decided the conservative Bavarian government was too oppressive. Inspired in part by the famous cartoonist John Tenniel, the young Nast sought to have his drawings published in the national magazines. He made his first sale at the age of 15, and in 1862 he secured a full-time position at the recently-founded Harper's Weekly, where he would spend most of his career.

Throughout the Civil War, Nast used his cartoons to build public support for both Abraham Lincoln and the anti-slavery movement. He continued to support African American civil rights after the war, even lampooning Andrew Johnson for undermining Lincoln's policies. In 1869, Nast turned his attentions to the corrupt political machine in New York led by William "Boss" Tweed. For years, Nast satirized Tweed and his Tammany Hall cronies, stirring up popular outrage. Eventually, Tweed's power base collapsed, and he was arrested and imprisoned for corruption. Nast's popularity was such that he was considered a key player in presidential elections from Abraham Lincoln in 1864 to Grover Cleveland in 1884.

Thomas Nast also developed numerous American cultural icons, including the Democratic donkey, the Republican elephant, and the thin, goatee-sporting Uncle Sam. He was also the first to portray the familiar image of the fat red-suited Santa Claus. Nast exerted a tremendous influence on all American political cartoonists of the early 20 century, and has even been credited with influencing the work of European artists such as Vincent van Gogh and Edgar Degas.

After leaving Harper's Weekly in 1886, Nast struggled financially until President Theodore Roosevelt appointed him U.S. consul in Ecuador in 1902. He died of yellow fever late in that year, at the age of 62.

Thomas Nast was born in Bavaria in 1840. He and his family emigrated to the United States, settling in New York, when Nast was six. A childhood penchant for drawing led to some formal training in the arts. Nast’s career as an illustrator and political satirist began at the age of 15, working for Leslie’s Illustrated Weekly Magazine .

Nast enjoyed much success and notoriety during his long tenure as a cartoonist for Harper’s Weekly, from 1862 to 1886. He lampooned the South during the Civil War, earning praise from Abraham Lincoln. A series of Nast’s cartoons from 1869 to 1871 led to the break-up of a ring of corrupt New York politicians and conviction of its leader, William Marcy “Boss” Tweed. Nast also invented the Democratic and Republican party symbols – the donkey and the elephant, respectively – and can be credited with shaping the visual traditions of Uncle Sam, Columbia, and Santa Claus.

(Source: Edward Bryant, “Nast, Thomas,” in Grove Art Online . Oxford Art Online. Accessed 23 Nov. 2010, <http://www.oxfordartonline.com/subscriber/article/grove/art/T061093>.)

Thomas Nast (1840-1902) was an American cartoonist and illustrator. Nast is one the founding figures of American political cartooning. He published thousands of cartoons over the course of his prolific career and is credited with giving definitive form to many now commonplace icons like the Democratic donkey, the Republican elephant, Uncle Sam, and even the familiar version of the "American" Santa Claus.

Born in Landau, Germany, Nast was six years old when his family immigrated to America. Growing up in New York City, Nast studied art in his early teens with the painter Theodore Kaufmann and began his professional career at the age of 15 with Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper (1855). In 1862, Nast became a staff artist for Harper's Weekly, and it was the work he did for this paper during the Civil War and after that most defined his reputation. In the 1870s, Nast carried on his famous campaign against William Marcy "Boss" Tweed and the corrupt group of New York City politicians associated with Tammany Hall. His Tammany tiger and Boss Tweed caricatures had a powerful resonance with the public and quickly became part of the vernacular of American political cartooning.

Nast's career with Harper's Weekly lasted for twenty-five years, ending in 1887. Subsequently, Nast continued to publish work on a freelance basis in publications like America and Once a Week (now Collier's Weekly ), and for a short period was affiliated with the Illustrated American (1891). In 1892, Nast signed-on with the New York Gazette and soon took over the enterprise, changing the name of the paper to Nast's Weekly . The paper was short lived, however, and ceased publication the following year. The failure of Nast's Weekly and other troubled investments made Thomas Nast's last years financially very difficult. He lived in semi-retirement, taking painting commissions in Europe and sending occasional cartoons for publication. Very often during these years, friends and family would receive small cartoons from Nast, in lieu of written correspondence. In 1902, Nast received a diplomatic appointment from the Theodore Roosevelt administration to serve as Consul General in Guyaquil, Ecuador. Nast accepted the post and left for Ecuador in June of that year. Shortly after arriving in Ecuador, Nast contracted yellow fever and died after a protracted illness on December 7, 1902.