Thomas Nast

Artist's Biography

Halt, Cossack! - So Far, But no Farther!

Wood engraving, 1878.
Image size 13 1/8 x 19 3/4" (33.1 x 50.2 cm).
Good condition. LOCATION: New York City

Inventory Number: 92281
Price: $125.00
Publisher : Published by Harper's Weekly. June 29, 1878. This political cartoon was likely made in reference to the Russo-Turkish War (April 1877 – March 1878), which had only recently ended at the time of publication. The war, despite outward claims to Europe, was religiously based - the Tsar wanted to free Turkey's Christians from the "tyranny" of Islam. The artist, Thomas Nast, made several anti-Russia, anti-religious warfare, illustrations during the war period (one of which likened the Russian Tsar to a Crusader, a notation that is better understood when it is taken into account that Rome and Catholicism were largely hated in America).

In this cartoon Athena is seen guarding the ancient Greek temple of "Civilization" from the Russian barbarians (a centaur-Cossack). In the distance, on the right, birds fly ominously over a burning mosque. On the ground, at the centaur's feet, is broken moon-staff. Both represent the barbaric war Catholic Russia had recently waged on the Islamic Ottoman empire. The Greek temple behind Athena reads "Civilization: Political, Progress, Constitutional Government," all of which further attack Russia because Athena will not allow their religious conquest to pass any further into Europe. 18th-19th Century Subjects , Caricatures and Satirical

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