WITH WASHINGTON IRVING’S HELP,
FELIX DARLEY “INVENTED” TODAY’S SANTA IN CLEMENT C. MOORE’S BOOK
“A VISIT FROM SAINT NICHOLAS,” IN 1862
Below is a 2001 Christmas card from the "Wren's
Nest." (Darley House, Claymont, Delaware)
using Darley’s illustrations
in Moore’s book:
Darley
was the first to draw “today’s” Santa using a Washington Irving’s description
of the
Dutch St. Nicholas in
his KNICKERBOCKER’S NEW YORK, which Darley illustrated earlier
(Santa was not drawn in that book … just described). This
drawing would have been done in Darley’s Claymont, Delaware home studio.
Thomas Nast first
drew Santa in ‘HARPER’S MAGAZINE” in 1863, and
continued to refine
Santa into what has become known as the “Coca Cola” Santa.
Darley drew Santa
once … Nast continued his refining for decades and thus is popularily known
as the originator of
“today’s” Santa, but Darley was truly the “first.”
Claymonter’s
will note that the house Darley used in the book
was his own “Wren’s Nest” in Claymont.
YES, TODAY'S SANTA WAS
"BORN" IN CLAYMONT, DELAWARE
In spite of all that we and the Darley Society have done to
publicize the work of Felix Darley in these last 5 years, we STILL see Thomas
Nast being credited as the “inventor” of today’s Santa Clause.
Nast was a great illustrator, but HIS Santa came one year AFTER Darley’s
rendering was printed in the first “book” of Clement Moore’s poem, A VISIT FROM
SAINT NICHOLAS in 1862.
Yes, “today’s Santa” was “born” right here in Claymont, Delaware in Darley's
studio at "Wren's Nest" (Darley House) in 1862.
Fact is, Darley drew (visualized) Washington Irving's Dutch Santa that
Irving had described in "A KNICKENBOCKER'S NEW YORK." Darley
illustrated that book for Irving, but did not do the Santa until asked to do so
by James Gregory Publishing for Clement Moore's first BOOK of the poem.
Just ONE of the wonderful historic things about out “town.”
(This is fact, not legend; check it out)
TO SEE ALL PAGES OF THE BOOK, CLICK
HERE
(This site uses an 1869 “Darley
version,” but is same as the 1862 version)
You can click to
enlarge the pages
NOTE PAGE 4: The
house in Darley's drawing is his own "Wren's Nest."
(The now enclosed
side porch was an open veranda in Darley's tenure.)
MORE ON "SANTA?"
WAS DARLEY THE "FIRST?"
TRY THESE LINKS
The Night Before Christmas Poem and its Parodies
About the Poem, it’s author, and illustrators
GO THERE
-----------------------------------------------------------
Nineteenth
Century Publication Milestones
GO THERE
-----------------------------------------------------------
CUSTOMS
& TRADITIONS,
THE EVOLUTION OF SANTA IN AMERICA
GO THERE
COMMENTS BY THE EDITOR/WEBMASTER (Hester): This is
ONE place (of many) that give Thomas Nast credit for "inventing" the
modern American Santa; however, if you note in this link (below), Nast FIRST
did "his" Santa in Harpers in 1863, one year after James Gregory
published the first "book" by Moore, ILLUSTRATED BY DARLEY, who had
the first "modern" look.
One "Nast source" states: "In 1863, a caricaturist for
Harper's Weekly named Thomas Nast began developing his own image of Santa. Nast
gave his figure a 'flowing set of whiskers' and dressed him 'all in fur, from
his head to his foot.'
Again, look at Darley's 1862 Santa ... the description attributed here to
Nast was what Darley had done.
Why is this? Mainly because Nast spent the next 20-some years illustrating
Santa ... so it's natural that HE became MORE associated with
"inventing" Santa than did Darley, who apparently only did this one
illustrated book with "his" Santa.
Is it REALLY important who did it first? Apparently it is most important
only to those of us who want to see Felix Darley get the attention, credit, and
acclaim that he so richly deserves: "America's First Illustrator,"
who SHOWED the newly independent Americans their heros, their history, their
leaders, and everyday people from ALL walks of life in all parts of the new
country.
WAIT A JUST A MINUTE!
Did Clement Moore actually write A VISIT FROM ST.
NICHOLAS?
Lots of evidence says "no" ... CLICK
HERE TO LEARN MORE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
THANKS FOR VISITING!
Use "back" key or CLICK TO RETURN TO TOP OF FIRST PAGE