The morning call., 1894-06-10
THE HAMBURGER COMPANY.
MARKET STREET.
THorlAs MAST OF LONDON.
The Remarkable Career of the Once
Great CartoonIst.

The news that Thomas Mast has gone 10
making political cartoons on the Pail Mall
Gazette IN London caused ripple Of asIonsh.
ment wherever artists gather 10 this town. The
career that he thus brings to a close In America
has indeed been a very remarkable one. About
Nast's origin and early life very little has been
made public, but it has always been gossped
among the artists that he is partly Italian.
German aud Jewish, and that before he came
TO America he was with Garibaldi in that
patrOi's army. AS an artist he first went TO
work for Frank Leslie in this city. The most
important work he did for him is said TO have
been the Heen n-SzyeTs fight 10 England. Soon
sfiefward he began work upon HaTperS
Weekly. He did not al once dev lOp he gift
which made him the most taked.of artist and
the most powerful cartOOnst in American. But
from the first be made cartoons and lit lie else.
They were not humorous at the star, but. the
year being 1864, were upon war subjects and
were patriotic and sentimental
Toward the close Of that year, when McClel-
Ian was nominated for President by The Demo-
era 8. Mast began his political work. which
ended brilliantly in 1871, when he began bis
attacks on William NJ. Tweed. Most OF his
work up 10 and at that time was drawn with
pen or pencil directly on the wooden blocks
which were 10 be carved out into woodeuts
afterward. He did part of his work win
India INK wash" on the wood 10 the same way.
he parted with the Harpers laIer-owiOg, II
was said, 10 difference Of political opinion-but
returned TO the Weekly after long absence at
salary that was considered remarkable.
Some said That he got s. 900 a year. and some
that the figure was 100000 But his star had
declln d. Keppler OF Puck had filed the field
and with merits that Mast never had. hepper
had no limitations or letters.
he was an absolute free lance, his sense OF
nunor Was broader and his power OF satire was
keener. Moreover he made artistic pictures,
enhanced by the use OF gay colOrs. Mast could
not recover bis old place as the CHIEF OF our
caTtOonisis. He had maze great deal OF
money, but II was said that he lost most of il.
He went into Western mining venture and
speculated in other ways without success. He
toek up newspaper work last of all, but II was
evident that In every field he had been dis
tanced by those who had the artistic faculty
supplemented by artistic training. Mast never
had either. He drew very clumslly and
| crudely.
Had he been able to keep pace with The ar
tlstlc progress OF the country. or had he
| stopped work in 1872, his fame would nave
been splendid. During the closing year OF the
war he was more detested in The South than
! the most rabid abolitionist IN Boston. ana lu
the same measure lie was idollZed III the NORTH
| The Union League Club OF this city gave MIN a
present Of plate for what he did 10 glorlfy
/ patriotism and the Northern cause.
When he fought Tweed with his pencil it was
| reported that bis life was threatened ana tnal
great brides were offered TO him. Tweed was
| reported 10 have said that Nasrs pictures
/ worried him more than all that was written by
/ his opponents. MIR. Mast lived we'll In pretty
| suburban home and had many warm friends
j around him. His personal popularity was
very great all over the country. His lecture
! trips, when he gave blackboard talks all oVel
| The country, made him we'll known TO even the
| smaller Cities, and travellers say tnat to-caS
| there Is scarcely clubhouse between tbis CITY
| and the Pacific Coast wherein the visitor viii
not see Thomas Nasrs bearded face, drawn b,
! himself, framed and In place OF honor' L
| was his ability TO express popular sentmeh
| In picture that gave him his vogue. whether
| he can remodel his mind 10 bit the Engsi
| taste remains TO be seen.-New YORK sun.