2 cuts requested e-m ryan 11-12

never sent, run without cuts!

FOR 11/21

MACCULLOCH HALL EXHIBITS NAST’S CHRISTMAS DRAWINGS w/2 cuts

avv/gs set 11/12 #757436

MORRISTOWN, N.J. — Macculloch Hall Historical Museum will exhibit more than 30 holiday images in “Thomas Nast and the American Christmas,” on view through January 27.

Nast was an important American illustrator in the Nineteenth Century. Beginning with the Civil War, Nast created America’s icon of Santa Claus. “Santa Claus in Camp” appeared on the Harper’s Weekly front page on January 3, 1863. This elfish figure of Santa Claus was the first of its kind in the United States.

By the 1880s Nast had evolved his image of Santa Claus to the present American icon with “Merry Old Santa Claus.” The earliest Nast images of Santa Claus are political rather than Victorian sentimentality. Santa Claus became a key public image by Nast in addition to his Republican Elephant, Democratic Donkey and Uncle Sam. From the influential pen of Nast, Santa Claus evolved from a political figure to an image of Victorian America.

Macculloch Hall holds one of the largest collections of Thomas Nast artworks in the nation. Most were acquired by museum founder W. Parsons Todd directly from Nast’s youngest son, Cyril. Christmas drawings, original pen and inks as well as artist’s proofs, are significant in the collection acquired from Cyril Nast.

In addition to oil and watercolor images of Santa Claus, two original images of Nast’s children are among Macculloch Hall’s treasures. In “Christmas Flirtation,” Nast portrayed his eldest child, Julia, as a sensual Victorian woman standing suggestively beneath mistletoe. Nast hoped that an advantageous marriage for Julia would secure his social standing in America but she never married.

 “Christmas Pudding” showing Cyril Nast as a plump-faced toddler eagerly awaiting the Irish serving girl carrying the festive dessert to the Nast family dinner table. The original of this image, on exhibit at Macculloch Hall, is curious for the political elephant on Cyril’s bib that the artist removed for the final version. Many other Christmas images by Nast, included in this exhibit, feature the rooms of the Nast Morristown home Villa Fontana across the street from Macculloch Hall.

Enhancing this exhibit are antique holiday decorations of the Nineteenth and early Twentieth Centuries from the United States and especially German toy makers. Lead figures, bristle pine trees, snow babies and Kugel ornaments will fill display cases.

Nast’s career at Harper’s Weekly ended in 1884. After a decade of financial reversal, the Harper Brothers felt that the earlier dedication of Thomas Nast to their publishing empire required a gentlemanly solution. In 1891 Harper Brother’s published a volume of Nast’s holiday drawings titled “Christmas Drawings for the Human Race.” Many of the original artworks, including the pen and ink images of Santa Claus pulling back the title page curtain, are included in this exhibition.

Macculloch Hall Historical Museum is at 45 Macculloch Avenue. For more information, www.maccullochhall.org or 973-538-2404.