Thomas Nast
Thomas Nast was a nineteenth-century American political cartoonist, often called the father of American political cartooning.
His work for Harper's Weekly shaped public opinion during the Civil War and Reconstruction.
Nast created enduring visual symbols: the Republican elephant, the Democratic donkey, and the modern image of Santa Claus.
His relentless campaign against New York's Boss Tweed and Tammany Hall corruption demonstrated the political power of satirical illustration.
Legendary yuletide gift-giver
- Uncle SamGovernment as a man
- ColumbiaAmerica personified, or its namesakes
- John BullEnglish national personification
- allegorySymbolic tale with deeper meaning
symbolism · personification · emblem · national symbol · imagery · archetype · icon
Visual artist for media
- draftsmanTechnical illustrator of plans
- sketchHasty informal drawing
- pencilGraphite writing instrument
- inkWriting fluid
drawing · caricature · exaggeration · grotesque · lampoon · parody · engraving · crosshatching
Infamous Democratic political machine
- RepublicanGOP party member
- DemocratBlue party supporter
- corruptionDishonest abuse of power
- Gilded AgeLate 1800s American prosperity
political machine · graft · patronage · reform · election · campaign · partisan · abolitionist
Scornful ridicule or travesty
- ironyMeaning opposite to words
- sarcasmIrony used to mock
- witClever, inventive humor
- humorAmusing quality
ridicule · corruption · exposé · reform · muckraking · commentary · criticism · trenchancy
Santa Claus
Legendary yuletide gift-giver
- Uncle SamGovernment as a man
- ColumbiaAmerica personified, or its namesakes
- John BullEnglish national personification
allegory · symbolism · personification · emblem · national symbol · imagery · archetype · icon
illustrator
Visual artist for media
- draftsmanTechnical illustrator of plans
- sketchHasty informal drawing
- pencilGraphite writing instrument
ink · drawing · caricature · exaggeration · grotesque · lampoon · parody · engraving · crosshatching · woodcut
Tammany Hall
Infamous Democratic political machine
- RepublicanGOP party member
- DemocratBlue party supporter
- corruptionDishonest abuse of power
Gilded Age · political machine · graft · patronage · reform · election · campaign · partisan · abolitionist · emancipation
mockery
Scornful ridicule or travesty
humor · ridicule · corruption · exposé · reform · muckraking · commentary · criticism · trenchancy · indictment
- caricaturecaricature art, caricatures, caricaturist, caricaturists, caricature artists
- caricaturists
- CartoonistsCharles Schulz, Frank Miller, Jim Davis, Rube Goldberg, Matt Groening
- editorial cartoonseditorial cartoon, political cartoon, political satire, caricature, cartoonist
- Victorian SatireGilbert and Sullivan, Charles Dickens, political cartoons, caricature, lampoon
- comedianscomedian, stand-up, comic, stand-up comic, standup comic