Over the years, great illustrators have created and shaped the popular vision of Santa Claus. Clockwise from top, left:
Thomas Nast, who gave Santa Claus a form almost like the modern idea in the mid-1800’s, with his clay pipe and arm full of toys (including a sword). You can see some of his visions of Santa here.
J. C. Leyendecker, who really created the modern vision of Santa [correction, see addendum below], and painted a number of memorable Saturday Evening Post covers featuring the jolly elf over the years. You can find them in the SEP cover archive.
Norman Rockwell, along with Leyendecker, provided numerous SEP covers with images of Santa, often with clever takes on the vision of his traditional role. The SEP cover archive has a section devoted to Rockwell Christmas covers.
Haddon Sundblom was an American illustrator who became noted for his yearly portrayals of Santa Claus for the Coca-Cola company. There is a section on the Coca-Cola site, and an album of Sundblom Santas here.
Addendum: I stand corrected. Stephen Worth of the ASIFA-Hollywood Animation Archive was kind enough to share with us illustrations from 1906 St. Nicholas Illustrated Magazine that show that illustrator Reginald Birch was in fact the one to flesh out Nast’s Civil War St. Nicholas concept into the the red-suited version we know today, prior to Leyendecker.
The Archive has posted a number of wonderful Birch illustrations from St. Nicholas Illustrated Magazine.
(Any fans of classic illustration and animation who are not familiar with ASIFA-Hollywood Animation Archive should click over there immediately and prepare to be amazed and delighted.)
Comments
13 responses to “Illustrators’ Visions of Santa Claus”
I’ve aaaaalways been such a fan of these Christmas illustrations. They definitely played their role in shaping my view of the jolly gimmick for me.
Cheers.
Awww… I love Norman Rockwell’s paintings. I’m such a fan of him 🙂
Thank u for sharing this. I enjoyed it a lot!
Happy holidays!
hmmphh!! cant say anythg about their artworks! superbs! cool! details! realyy cut me deep! 🙂
nerry xmas all around the world!
Here´s my Santa Claus for this year:
http://kaufmanartnews.blogspot.com/2006/12/finished-christmas-painting.html
Don’t forget C.F. Payne’s Santa Claus illustrations gracing the back of Reader’s Digest for the past three years!
http://www.rd.com
I think this entry from the ConceptArt.org Male Pinup Calendar challenge is relevant.
http://photos.imageevent.com/aljmary/menalive/attachment.27.jpg
Great post and images for everyone to see.
But….
2007 we are going to be releasing a brand new Santa Claus image that is more in tune with 2007.
Keep your eyes open for it.
HoHoHo
Santa Claus
http://www.santas.com
What gifted craftsmen – J.C. Leyendecker followed by Norman Rockwell. I think Leyendecker looks like the men he illustrates. Wowee. There is nothing else like the history of American illustration. What a country!
How lucky are we?!?
Thomas Nast painted his “A Visit from St. Nick” Santa wearing a tan/brown coat. This would be in keeping with the deer hide jackets common in his native, boyhood Germany.
The publisher however saw a better sales opportunity if Santa were wearing red.
So an anonymous but shrewd businessman in the mid 1800s did more to clarify Santa than anyone.
Here is my favorite Normal Rockwell.
http://www.duvekot.ca/eliane/archives/Norman_Rockwell.jpg
The publisher however saw a better sales opportunity if Santa were wearing red.
So an anonymous but shrewd businessman in the mid 1800s did more to clarify Santa than anyone.
hmm
One more important link to add to the chain between Nast and Leyendecker… Reginald Birch, illustrator for St. Nicholas Magazine at the beginning of the 20th century.
Thanks, Stephen! I’ve appended the post.