The Sunday Journal, July 5th, 1896

Art Historical Context

**The Sunday Journal, July 5, 1896** by Ernest Haskell is a striking graphic arts print housed in the Smithsonian American Art's collection, acquired through an exchange with Georgetown University. Created in an era of booming American printmaking, this work exemplifies the bold visual language of late 19th-century posters illustrations. Haskell, an accomplished etcher and designer active during this period, captured the essence of mass media through intricate lines and dynamic composition, blending artistry with commercial appeal. The title evokes the sensational world of 1890s newspapers, likely referencing the *New York Journal* amid the height of yellow journalism. Tags like "full length," "written matter," and "rocket" suggest a vivid scene—perhaps a towering figure amid newsprint headlines and explosive imagery, symbolizing the era's dramatic headlines and post-Independence Day fervor on July 5th. As a graphic arts print, it highlights techniques like fine-line etching or lithography, which allowed for detailed text reproduction and eye-catching motifs to grab public attention. This piece offers a window into Gilded Age culture, where prints bridged art and everyday life, promoting news as spectacle. Its preservation in the Smithsonian underscores its role in documenting America's graphic heritage. (198 words)

About the Artist

Ernest Haskell · 1876–1925

Ernest Haskell (1876–1925) was born on June 30 in Woodstock, Connecticut, on the family farm, where he spent his childhood sketching amid rural surroundings. After attending Woodstock Academy and recovering from typhoid fever through drawing, he was encouraged by his artist sister, Mabel Percy Haskell. Largely self-taught at first, Haskell made three extended trips to Paris starting in 1897, brief...