Thomas Nast Art Exhibit at Booth Center

Southwest is hosting an art exhibit at the Booth Center Gallery in Grundy, Virginia from January 19 through February 23, 2012. This exhibit titled “Thomas Nast: Caricaturist, 1840-1902” features Thomas Nast’s “Santa” lithographs from the late 1800’s and some copies of his popular engravings beginning in 1862 which he created for Harper’s Weekly.

The public is invited to view this exhibit anytime during Center hours. Please contact Eddie Hannah for this information at 276.964.7558. If you have any other questions concerning this exhibit please contact Rhonda Whited at 276.964.7228.
 

Thomas Nast was born in Germany in 1840 and moved to New York City with his mother and sister in 1846. He began working with Harper’s Weekly in 1862 resulting in weekly exposure of his artwork with a national audience. He expressed his political views through his work and popularized the donkey as the symbol for the Democratic Party and the elephant for the Republican Party. Nast also created the “modern” image for Santa Claus.

His campaign against New York City political boss William Tweed is legendary as he devised the Tammany Tiger to represent his attack on Tammany corruption. Nast’s political cartoons were also influential in re-electing Lincoln in 1864 and Grant’s election in 1868.

In 1902 President Roosevelt appointed him as consul general to Ecuador. After six months abroad he died of yellow fever.