Let Us Have Complete Restoration
December 28, 1872
Medium
Classification
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution
Accession Number
NPG.86.176
Tags
Art Historical Context
**Let Us Have Complete Restoration** a poignant political print by Thomas Nast, the legendary 19th-century caricaturist, created on December 28,1872. Published likely in *Harper's Weekly*, where Nast's work reached millions, this piece exemplifies his mastery of wood engraving—a technique that allowed for sharp, detailed reproductions ideal for mass-circulated commentary. Nast, a German-American artist (1840–1902), revolutionized political cartooning with his bold satire, supporting Republican causes and civil rights during the post-Civil War Reconstruction era. The artwork centers on Charles...