Thomas Nast
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Thomas Nast was a German-born American caricaturist and editorial cartoonist often considered to be the "Father of the American Cartoon".
Albumen silver print of Nast by Napoleon Sarony, taken in Union Square, New York City
Thomas Nast's birth certificate issued under the auspices of the King of Bavaria on September 26, 1840
Thomas Nast self-caricature
Self-caricature of Thomas Nast
Santa Claus
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Santa Claus is a legendary figure originating in Western Christian culture who is said to bring gifts during the late evening and overnight hours on Christmas Eve. Christmas elves are said to make the
Thomas Nast
…soldier holding a puppet of "Jeff" (Jefferson Davis) with a noose around its neck. This is generally recognized as the first depiction of the modern Santa Claus (based on the traditional German figures of Saint Nicholas and Weihnachtsmann). Nast has also been credited for being the first to depict the Republican…
1881 illustration by Thomas Nast
A 13th-century depiction of Saint Nicholas from Saint Catherine's Monastery, Sinai
The Ghost of Christmas Present as illustrated by John Leech for Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol (1843)
An 1886 depiction of the long-bearded Norse god Odin by Georg von Rosen