Harper's Weekly, is the most
popular illustrated newspaper of the
1800's. During the late 1850's,
Harper's Weekly pioneered an
exciting new process of illustrations
with the text. The Civil War became
the first conflict in which the general
public could, in almost real time, see
images from the battlefield, maps of
the conflict, and images of the
leaders. Harper's Weekly brought
the war home in a way that simply
was not possible with traditional text
based newspapers. The published
price was at 6 cents. Today these
original illustrations (click) from
Harper's Weekly have become highly
collectible and important historical
pieces selling at high prices.
The process started by the
deployment of not only reporters, but
also artists to the battlefield. Some
of the most renowned artists of the
1800's got their start as illustrators
for Harper's Weekly, including
Winslow Homer and Thomas Nast.
Men such as these would
accompany the war correspondents
to the battlefield. These artists would
sketch scenes of the battles that
they witnessed. The sketches would
then be dispatched back to Harpers
for publication in the upcoming
papers. In order to publish the
artwork, the images had to be first be
carved onto a block of wood. The
challenge came in that it would take
a single carver a long time to
accomplish the task. In order to
provide the illustrations in a timely
fashion, a very clever idea was
developed. The illustration would be
cut into individual 2 inch squares,
and each square would be cut onto a
different small block of wood by a
given carver.
popular illustrated newspaper of the
1800's. During the late 1850's,
Harper's Weekly pioneered an
exciting new process of illustrations
with the text. The Civil War became
the first conflict in which the general
public could, in almost real time, see
images from the battlefield, maps of
the conflict, and images of the
leaders. Harper's Weekly brought
the war home in a way that simply
was not possible with traditional text
based newspapers. The published
price was at 6 cents. Today these
original illustrations (click) from
Harper's Weekly have become highly
collectible and important historical
pieces selling at high prices.
The process started by the
deployment of not only reporters, but
also artists to the battlefield. Some
of the most renowned artists of the
1800's got their start as illustrators
for Harper's Weekly, including
Winslow Homer and Thomas Nast.
Men such as these would
accompany the war correspondents
to the battlefield. These artists would
sketch scenes of the battles that
they witnessed. The sketches would
then be dispatched back to Harpers
for publication in the upcoming
papers. In order to publish the
artwork, the images had to be first be
carved onto a block of wood. The
challenge came in that it would take
a single carver a long time to
accomplish the task. In order to
provide the illustrations in a timely
fashion, a very clever idea was
developed. The illustration would be
cut into individual 2 inch squares,
and each square would be cut onto a
different small block of wood by a
given carver.
Thomas Nast was born on September
27, 1840 in Germany. He relocated to
New York City in 1846. He studied art
in New York. He began work as an
artist for Leslie’s illustrated in 1855,
and for Harper’s Weekly in 1859.
Newspapers like Harper’s had to hire
artists to convert photographs into line
art. The artists would look at a
photograph, and then create a
drawing of the photograph as
accurately as possible. In this role, the
artist was simply trying to duplicate the
original photograph or artwork During
the Civil War years his work was
staunchly pro Lincoln, pro Union, and
anti Slavery. His artwork portrayed
Southerners as the enemy . . . not just
the enemy, but a cruel and barbarous
people. While slavery was practiced in
the South, many people either directly
or indirectly benefited from it in the
North. Slavery enabled cheap cotton,
and hence textiles. It also enabled
cheap tobacco and agricultural
products. Many in the North were
willing to look the other way, and
ignore the cruelty of the institution of
slavery. This attitude was helped by
the fact that at the time, slaves were
always discussed in the context of
being property, not people. While it is
true that there was a vibrant
abolitionist movement
movement
underway in the North, the movement
had such radical elements that for the
most part it frightened people. So,
most people thought of slaves in much
the way they thought of cattle, horses,
or other farm commodities. Nast
wanted to change the view towards
slaves, without blatantly offending or
frightening people. He did this by
creating artwork that helped show
slaves as people, not property, and
show the fundamental cruelties
associated with the institution of
slavery.
27, 1840 in Germany. He relocated to
New York City in 1846. He studied art
in New York. He began work as an
artist for Leslie’s illustrated in 1855,
and for Harper’s Weekly in 1859.
Newspapers like Harper’s had to hire
artists to convert photographs into line
art. The artists would look at a
photograph, and then create a
drawing of the photograph as
accurately as possible. In this role, the
artist was simply trying to duplicate the
original photograph or artwork During
the Civil War years his work was
staunchly pro Lincoln, pro Union, and
anti Slavery. His artwork portrayed
Southerners as the enemy . . . not just
the enemy, but a cruel and barbarous
people. While slavery was practiced in
the South, many people either directly
or indirectly benefited from it in the
North. Slavery enabled cheap cotton,
and hence textiles. It also enabled
cheap tobacco and agricultural
products. Many in the North were
willing to look the other way, and
ignore the cruelty of the institution of
slavery. This attitude was helped by
the fact that at the time, slaves were
always discussed in the context of
being property, not people. While it is
true that there was a vibrant
abolitionist movement
movement
underway in the North, the movement
had such radical elements that for the
most part it frightened people. So,
most people thought of slaves in much
the way they thought of cattle, horses,
or other farm commodities. Nast
wanted to change the view towards
slaves, without blatantly offending or
frightening people. He did this by
creating artwork that helped show
slaves as people, not property, and
show the fundamental cruelties
associated with the institution of
slavery.
Winslow Homer born February
24,1836 was a noted American
artist during the 1800's. He is
remembered for his landscapes,
Harper's often did not cite Winslow
Homer as the artist for pictures
that they published. He was
sometimes referred to as their
"Special Artist". However, this
designation was also used for
other artists as well. As such, it
can be difficult to know which
Harper's illustrations were done by
Homer, particularly in his early
years with the paper. Some
illustrations in Harper's include his
signature in the corner of the
illustration, some were attributed
to him by name in the caption, and
others are believed to be his
because of the distinct style of the
drawing. After the war, Homer
began a career as a painter. He
painted several pictures based on
drawings he had done during the
war until his death on September
29, 1910.
24,1836 was a noted American
artist during the 1800's. He is
remembered for his landscapes,
Harper's often did not cite Winslow
Homer as the artist for pictures
that they published. He was
sometimes referred to as their
"Special Artist". However, this
designation was also used for
other artists as well. As such, it
can be difficult to know which
Harper's illustrations were done by
Homer, particularly in his early
years with the paper. Some
illustrations in Harper's include his
signature in the corner of the
illustration, some were attributed
to him by name in the caption, and
others are believed to be his
because of the distinct style of the
drawing. After the war, Homer
began a career as a painter. He
painted several pictures based on
drawings he had done during the
war until his death on September
29, 1910.
