Morris County - Morristown - Christmas According to Thomas Nast
All the Creatures Were Stirring, Even the Mouse! Thomas Nast’s Furry Christmas (December 4, 2019-January 12, 2020)
Thomas Nast (1840-1902) illustrated the figure of Santa Claus and Christmas images throughout his career. Nast was inspired by the famous poem A Visit from Saint Nicholas, popularly known as ‘Twas The Night Before Christmas, written by Clement Clarke Moore in 1822. Nast included many elements from Moore’s poem in his illustrations. Through a selection of the artist’s work, this exhibition explores how Nast developed the image of Santa Claus as a jolly, round-bellied, white-bearded, gnome-like figure that immediately captured the imagination of both children and adults throughout the United States when first published and that continue to delight audiences to this day.