In this Book
- Thomas Nast: The Father of Modern Political Cartoons
- Book
- 2013
- Published by: The University of North Carolina Press
summary
Thomas Nast (1840-1902), the founding father of American political cartooning, is perhaps best known for his cartoons portraying political parties as the Democratic donkey and the Republican elephant. Nast's legacy also includes a trove of other political cartoons, his successful attack on the machine politics of Tammany Hall in 1871, and his wildly popular illustrations of Santa Claus for Harper's Weekly magazine. Throughout his career, his drawings provided a pointed critique that forced readers to confront the contradictions around them.
In this thoroughgoing and lively biography, Fiona Deans Halloran focuses not just on Nast's political cartoons for Harper's but also on his place within the complexities of Gilded Age politics and highlights the many contradictions in his own life: he was an immigrant who attacked immigrant communities, a supporter of civil rights who portrayed black men as foolish children in need of guidance, and an enemy of corruption and hypocrisy who idolized Ulysses S. Grant. He was a man with powerful friends, including Mark Twain, and powerful enemies, including William M. "Boss" Tweed. Halloran interprets Nast's work, explores his motivations and ideals, and illuminates Nast's lasting legacy on American political culture.
In this thoroughgoing and lively biography, Fiona Deans Halloran focuses not just on Nast's political cartoons for Harper's but also on his place within the complexities of Gilded Age politics and highlights the many contradictions in his own life: he was an immigrant who attacked immigrant communities, a supporter of civil rights who portrayed black men as foolish children in need of guidance, and an enemy of corruption and hypocrisy who idolized Ulysses S. Grant. He was a man with powerful friends, including Mark Twain, and powerful enemies, including William M. "Boss" Tweed. Halloran interprets Nast's work, explores his motivations and ideals, and illuminates Nast's lasting legacy on American political culture.
Table of Contents
Download Full Book
- Cover and Front Matter
- pp. 1-7
- Acknowledgments
- pp. ix-xi
- CHAPTER TWO: Early Work and Training
- pp. 19-38
- CHAPTER FIVE: Falling in Love with Grant
- pp. 91-118
- CHAPTER SIX: Tweed
- pp. 119-143
- CHAPTER SEVEN: The Campaign of 1872
- pp. 145-175
- CHAPTER EIGHT: Redpath and Wealth
- pp. 177-195
- CHAPTER NINE: Access and Authority
- pp. 197-219
- CHAPTER TEN: Conflict with Curtis
- pp. 221-244
- CHAPTER ELEVEN: The End of an Era
- pp. 245-264
- CHAPTER TWELVE: Nast’s Weekly and Guayaquil
- pp. 265-281
- CONCLUSION: Legacy
- pp. 283-291
- Bibliography
- pp. 341-355
Additional Information
ISBN
9781469600239
Related ISBN(s)
9780807835876, 9780807837351, 9781469642352
MARC Record
OCLC
822227299
Pages
384
Launched on MUSE
2013-06-30
Language
English
Open Access
No