The Palace of Tears

Description

The Palace of Tears depicts real historical figures. Nast portrayed President Andrew Johnson, whom he despised, as a statue of a king presiding over the 1866 convention of Democrats, where harmony between the North and the South was stressed in a cynical plan to win votes. The idea horrified Nast and the Republicans, who could not forgive the South for seceding and causing the Civil War, so the artist showed the Democratic delegates shedding crocodile tears of joy in King Andy's palace over the new unity between the North and the South. In the Grand Caricaturama program, this was 25th and accompanied by the song "The long, long, weary day, was passed in tears away."

Object Information

Date Created:

1867

Local ID:

TN2006.40

Collection:

Thomas Nast Collection

Credit Line:

Collection of Macculloch Hall Historical Museum

Creator(s):

Thomas Nast

Materials:

Tempera on fabric

Classification:

Painting

Rights:

Public Domain

Appears In

Resource Kit
Macculloch Hall Historical Museum

Drawing History: History Told Through Thomas Nast Political Cartoons

Thomas Nast worked at the three most important illustrated newspapers in New York City. Nast worked for "Harper's Weekly" during the Civil War and received recognition from President Abraham Lincoln as his "best recruiting sergeant" for the Union. Through thousands of images drawn by Thomas Nast, he built readers' visual literacy. After just four years working full time at "Harper's Weekly", Thomas Nast took a break during the summer of 1867-1897 to work on his idea for "The Grand Caricaturama", 33 large paintings presented with music and narration telling the history of the United States from Nast's perspective in live theater. Today only 8 of those paintings are known to exist.

Created by: Macculloch Hall Historical Museum

Grade 9-12