Jan 30, 2009
Thomas Nast. 1840-1902. German-American caricaturist and editorial cartoonist, “Father of the American Cartoon.” His cartoons frequently had numerous sidebars and panels with intricate subplots to the main cartoon. A Sunday feature could provide hours of entertainment and highlight social causes. His signature “Tammany Tiger” has been emulated by many cartoonists over the years, and he introduced into American cartoons the practice of modernizing scenes from Shakespeare for a political purpose. Some notable archetypal contributions Nast has made to popular American awareness include: a “jollier” Santa Claus, the Republican elephant and Democratic donkey, and a tall and slim Uncle Sam.

Thomas Nast.
1840-1902. German-American caricaturist and editorial cartoonist, “Father of the American Cartoon.”

His cartoons frequently had numerous sidebars and panels with intricate subplots to the main cartoon. A Sunday feature could provide hours of entertainment and highlight social causes. His signature “Tammany Tiger” has been emulated by many cartoonists over the years, and he introduced into American cartoons the practice of modernizing scenes from Shakespeare for a political purpose.
Some notable archetypal contributions Nast has made to popular American awareness include: a “jollier” Santa Claus, the Republican elephant and Democratic donkey, and a tall and slim Uncle Sam.

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