Celebrations: Thanksgiving Day

The Metropolitan Museum used this stunning image from 1895 in their Thanksgiving message. I wasn't familiar with Will H. Bradley (1868-1962), the artist who created it so I did a bit of research and it turns out that there's a local connection.

[William Henry Bradley (American, 1868–1962). The Chap Book: Thanksgiving Number, 1895. Lithograph.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art.]

After a long and illustrious career*, Will retired to South Pasadena around 1948 and began working on his autobiography. In 1957 he and his widowed daughter Fern came to live in La Jolla. Three years later, declining health caused him to move to a convalescent hospital in La Mesa where he died on January 25, 1962.


*This splash page to the WillBradley.com website gives an overview of all this creative genius accomplished in his long life.

© 2019 Copyright, Christine Manczuk, All Rights Reserved.

Celebrations: Thanksgiving Day

I hope you're having a great day!

[Art and Picture Collection, The New York Public Library. "Thanksgiving greetings." The New York Public Library Digital Collections. 1909. http://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47e3-52da-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99]

© 2018 Copyright, Christine Manczuk, All Rights Reserved.

Celebrations: Thanksgiving Day

[Art and Picture Collection, The New York Public Library. "Best wishes for a good Thanksgiving." The New York Public Library Digital Collections. http://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47e3-6467-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99]

The New York Public Library's digital collections are a great resource. This year I deliberately chose a postcard (mailed in 1908) which doesn't feature a turkey but there are plenty available, including this one which seems to show a young girl fleeing from the turkey; another where several children chase after a running bird; and one with a smiling boy grasps the turkey's neck while they sit near an axe. Most commonly though, the image is of  a fully fledged tom in all his glory although one or two depict happy turkey families before the fatal day.




© 2017 Copyright, Christine Manczuk, All Rights Reserved.

Celebrations: Thanksgiving Day

To you and yours...

[Art and Picture Collection, The New York Public Library. "A Thanksgiving greeting." The New York Public Library Digital Collections. 1914. http://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47e3-5320-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99]

The postcard is from the New York Public Library's digital collections.

© 2015 Copyright, Christine Manczuk, All Rights Reserved.