Don’t you just love this iconic Thomas Nast Christmas image of a child hanging stockings on the fireplace? And doesn’t it just make the image all the more charming because the little boy is standing upon the head of a bear skin rug to reach the mantle?
Thomas Nast was well-known for his controversial political cartoons before he would become the artist who created what would become the American Santa Claus – the jolly old elf in a red and white suit. He was inspired by the publication of Clement Moore’s famous Christmas poem and at least one version of the story says that Nast asked to be the illustrator for Moore’s “A Visit From St. Nicholas.”
This particular Christmas drawing wasn’t for Moore’s book but for Harper’s Weekly in 1876. Many of Nast’s Christmas drawings included buildings and churches from his home in Morristown, New Jersey. Additionally, the sweet children depicted in his drawings were inspired by the faces of his own children.
In this drawing we have a little boy standing on a bear skin rug trying to make sure his very large stocking is hung by the fireplace. A Christmas fireplace screen bearing the image of Santa Claus, as designed by Nast, makes it look as if Santa is watching the boy to make sure he safely gets his stocking hung. The clock over the fireplace shows 12 o’clock. One wonders if the little boy has snuck out of his bed to make sure Santa does not forget to leave him Christmas presents.
This hanging stockings drawing is in the public domain and copyright free, as are all of Nast’s wonderful Christmas drawings. Enjoy this and all of the Vintage Christmas Images on Reusable Art.
This image is copyright free and in the public domain anywhere that extends copyrights 70 years after death or at least 120 years after publication when the original illustrator is unknown.
