Thomas Nast

1840-1902

American (London, England; New York, New York)

Thomas Nast was born in Germany and arrived in New York as a boy of six. He studied art at the National Academy of Design and at the age of 15 became a draftsman for Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper and at 18 for Harper’s Weekly. In 1860 he went to England for the New York Illustrated News and in the same year went to Italy to cover Giuseppe Garibaldi’s revolt for The Illustrated London News and American publications.