“ Old Santeclaus with Much Delight ” (~ Old Santa Claus ) is a fabulous children's poem , anonymously published in New York in 1821. This is the first poem, which describes the image of Santa Claus , which is close to modern ( reindeer harnesses , arrival on Christmas Eve ). Each quatrain of the poem was illustrated, these illustrations are the first artistic images of the image of Santa Claus. The names of the author of the poem and book illustrator are unknown [1] . The poem about Santa Claus did not produce such an effect as the famous poem “ The Visit of Saint Nicholas ” Klement Moore published two years later.
Content
Publish
The poem with eight color lithographic illustrations was published in New York by publisher William B. Gilly in 1821 in the form of a small paperback titled “Friend of the Children: New Year's Gift for Kids from Five to Twelve” ( eng. The Children's Friend: A New Year's Present, to the Little Ones from Five to Twelve ), which sold for 25 cents [2] . It is estimated that this book was the first to be released in the United States using the technique of lithography [3] .
In 1809, Washington Irving, in his satirical book, The History of New York ( eng. ), Which he released under the pseudonym "Diedrich Knickerbocker", described Some of the features of the fabulous Santa Claus. It is possible that Irving's book inspired the creation of the image of Santa Claus and the unknown author of the poem “Old Santeclaus”, and, two years later, of Professor Clement Moore in the poem “ The Visit of St. Nicholas ” [4] .
Designing a Santa Claus Image
The poem Old Santeclaus contains descriptions of some of the elements characteristic of the modern image of Santa Claus: its connection with the northern winter, departure by sleigh in a reindeer team, and the arrival on Christmas Eve , not December 6 (the traditional day of St. Nicholas ) [1] [5] .
Lithographic drawings of the book "Old Santeclaus" are the earliest images of Santa Claus [3] [6] . On them, Santa Claus is depicted dressed in red outfit - this is the first mention of the fact that he wears this color [1] [3] . Although red was traditionally associated with the episcopal mantle that St. Nicholas could wear, Santa Claus’s clothing was not episcopal in the illustrations, nor was it similar to the Dutch clothing of St. Nicholas described by Washington Irving and [7] .
Unlike modern Santa Claus, the hero of the poem “Old Santeclaus” left gifts only to “good” children, and disobedient children received from him “a long black birch twig”, which parents had to use for punishment by “God's command” [8] .
Text
Original:
| In Russian translation (subscript):
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Gallery
Illustration for quatrain 1
Illustration for quatrain 2
Illustration for quatrain 3
Illustration for quatrain 4
Illustration for quatrain 5
Illustration for quatrain 6
Illustration for quatrain 7
Illustration for quatrain 8
Notes
- ↑ 1 2 3 Bowler, Gerry. Santa Claus: a biography. - McClelland & Stewart Ltd, 2005. - p. 37. - ISBN 978-0-7710-1668-4 .
- New A New-Year's present, to the little ones from five to twelve. (eng.) // The Children's Friend: journal. - Broadway, New York: Gilley, William B., 1821. - Vol. Iii .
- ↑ 1 2 3 Restad, Penne L. Christmas in America (Neopr.) . - New York: Oxford University Press, 1995. - p . 203 . - ISBN 0-19-510980-5 .
- ↑ Hutton, Ronald. The Stations of the Sun. - Oxford & New York: Oxford University Press, 1996. - P. 118. - ISBN 0-19-820570-8 .
- ↑ Bowler, Gerry. The World Encyclopedia of Christmas. - Toronto: McClelland & Stewart Ltd, 2000. - P. 199. - ISBN 0-7710-1531-3 .
- ↑ Bowler, Gerry. Santa Claus: a biography. - McClelland & Stewart Ltd, 2005. - P. 35. - ISBN 978-0-7710-1668-4 .
- ↑ Restad, Penne L. Christmas in America (Neopr.) . - New York: Oxford University Press, 1995. - p . 144 . - ISBN 0-19-510980-5 .
- ↑ Restad, Penne L. Christmas in America (Neopr.) . - New York: Oxford University Press, 1995. - p . 54 . - ISBN 0-19-510980-5 .
Links
- Wikimedia Commons has Old Santeclaus with Much Delight media files.
- Old Santeclaus audiobook in LibriVox (eng.)