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As an American, one holiday that I have very fond memories of is Thanksgiving. Every year since I was a kid, I would enjoy a Thanksgiving meal with my cousins. Somehow, my cousins and I would avoid discussing politics. Such discussions were held by my parents, aunts, and uncles in Arabic, a language I don’t understand. As a result, I associate the holiday with delicious food, a day off, and a good time with my cousins rather than awkward conversations. Of course, many Americans have fond memories of Thanksgiving. As such, I have decided to look at the works of past artists to create a collection of Thanksgiving-themed art from the past 100 years. I hope you will enjoy these art pieces.
1920s: 57, Thanksgiving Day (1927) by Norman Rockwell
57, Thanksgiving Day (1927) is an artwork by Norman Rockwell, a famous artist. This artwork depicts a pilgrim about to hunt a turkey, presumably for Thanksgiving, with a boat at the shore in the background. In it, Rockwell argues that Thanksgiving is a reminder that one’s actions can leave a significant positive impact on the future. He is likely referring to the impact the Pilgrims’ settling in New England had on US history.
While I agree with Rockwell’s sentiment that the actions of the present can greatly benefit the future, I do not think that Thanksgiving is a good example to use for this. This is mainly because English settlers would go on to fight a war against the Wampanoags, the same group they celebrated the first Thanksgiving with in 1621. This conflict was King Philip’s War and happened from 1675-1678. Therefore, Thanksgiving’s legacy is marked by a deadly conflict and a temporary peace, which is not an example of one’s actions improving the future.
However, I cannot deny that Rockwell created a great piece of artwork. Although ahistorical, the positive message that he includes is partially true and beneficial.
1930s: Thanksgiving Dinner (1938) by Louis Lozowick
Thanksgiving Dinner (1938) is a graphic art print created by Louis Lozowick. The work does not depict a bountiful familial dinner. Rather, it depicts men in line at a soup kitchen with no turkey in sight. The black and white color scheme of the work makes it seem grim, as if to say that this is a terrible situation.
This work would have been the Thanksgiving experience of many Americans as the work was created during the Great Depression, a time of great poverty in America. In 1938, 19% of Americans were unemployed. As such, this artwork is a depiction of a common holiday experience and a bleak national issue.
I think that Lozowick recognizes this, and he depicts it by making the artwork seem bleak. I like that he does not try to sugarcoat the reality of Thanksgiving during the Great Depression to focus on a celebratory theme in honor of the holiday. One must respect his honesty.
1940s: Thanksgiving Day Parade when Danny Kaye was Young (1940) by Joseph Delaney
Thanksgiving Day Parade when Danny Kaye was Young (1940) is an oil painting by Joseph Delaney. The work portrays a Thanksgiving Day parade. In the foreground and background of the painting, one can see people watching the parade. In the center, there are two floats, including a Christmas-themed one.
I like this painting since it depicts a fun event that many people enjoy on Thanksgiving, the Thanksgiving Day parade. This tradition was first celebrated in Philadelphia in 1920, so this artwork depicts a fun yet, at the time, new tradition.
I really like that this oil painting is more stylized than realistic, yet has a lot of details to notice. I also like that it mentions the commonplace (and, in my opinion, infuriating) presence of Christmas floats at Thanksgiving Day parades rather than solely focusing on one holiday. This makes the artwork seem more realistic as it does not hardwire itself to a specific holiday theme.
1950s: Turkeys (1958) by Grandma Moses
Turkeys (1958) is an oil painting by Grandma Moses, whose real name is Anna Mary Robertson Moses. This work portrays people catching turkeys to eat for Thanksgiving. It takes place on a farmstead during a snowy winter.
I personally like that Moses portrays the hunt from a distance rather than focusing more on one of the hunters, as another artist would. In addition, there is something interesting about Moses related to Thanksgiving. Moses was born in 1860. She once explained that the first Thanksgiving that she remembered was the Thanksgiving of 1864. That Thanksgiving occurred a mere year after President Abraham Lincoln made the holiday a national one in 1863. Therefore, Moses was a participant in and remembered a very early instance of the national celebration of Thanksgiving.
1960s: Tupperware® Cookie Cutter (1963) by Tupperware
Tupperware® Cookie Cutter (1963) is a cookie cutter created by a company called Tupperware. The cutter is completely red and resembles a turkey. I like this artwork since it shows that cooking cookies for Thanksgiving is nothing new. I also like that it resembles a turkey, which is my favorite Thanksgiving food. Looking at this cutter reminds me of good memories of eating turkey at my cousins’ house on Thanksgiving and of eating homemade chocolate chip cookies year-round.
1970s: Party (“Thanksgiving”) (1979) by an Unknown Artist
Party (“Thanksgiving”) (1979) is a work by an unknown artist. This artwork appears to simply be a regular photo of a Thanksgiving party. Personally, I like this artwork since it is an authentic glimpse into a gathering of ordinary people celebrating the holiday rather than being an artistic or sanitized depiction. As a result, one can learn about the holiday from photos like this.
1980s: The Great American Dixieland Jazz Festival Button (1985) by an Unknown Author
The Great American Dixieland Jazz Festival Button (1985) is a button by an unknown artist. This button was created to market the Great American Dixieland Jazz Festival. This annual festival was first held by the nonprofit America’s Finest City Dixieland Jazz Society (AFCDJS) in 1979 and continues to this day. The event is now known as The San Diego Jazz Fest & Swing Extravaganza and occurs every Thanksgiving weekend.
I like this artwork since it shows the fun that can be had during Thanksgiving break. While visiting family on vacation, one could attend a similar festival and have a good time. Alternatively, one could go somewhere else or relax at home. As a busy college student, I look forward to having some respite this Thanksgiving.
1990s: A Turkey Before Thanksgiving (1992) by William Steig
A Turkey Before Thanksgiving (1992) by William Steig is a drawing of a turkey getting its fortune read. The fortune teller is sad and is crying about the turkey’s tragic future. It appears that it will be eaten on Thanksgiving.
I like this photo since it depicts a comedic scene despite its mature theme of impending death. The association of Thanksgiving with happy memories and the inhumanness of the turkey turns the somber scene into one of hilarity. Steig recognizes this as the ridiculous dress of the fortune teller, and the anthropomorphization of the turkey lightens the mood. This work shows that comedy often relies on sad themes, but that does not stop it from being funny.
2000s: 34c Cornucopia Single (2001) by Richard Sheaff & Margaret Cusack
34c Cornucopia Single (2001) is a postage stamp that was designed by Richard Sheaff and drawn by Margaret Cusack. It was distributed by the United States Postal Service and was sold nationwide in 2001.
I like this artwork because, despite being a drawing, it looks exactly like a piece of cloth. It resembles the Thanksgiving-themed tablecloths that I would often see at stores in November. It is also a very nice design for a cornucopia, which is always appreciated.
2010s: A Pilgrim in Paris (2013) by Melinda Beck
A Pilgrim in Paris (2013) depicts a woman in present-day Paris wearing a pilgrim’s hat. This work was created by Melinda Beck. It was published by The New York Times in November 2013.
I like this artwork since it has a lot of attention to detail in both the background and the foreground. One can see the windows on each building in the background as well as the individual curls in the woman’s hair. I also like that it chooses a setting other than colonial Massachusetts or present-day America, which is something that a lot of Thanksgiving-themed art does not do.
2020s: Thanksgiving celebrated early in a COVID-19 safe way outdoors in Valley Forge Park, Pennsylvania (2020) by Michael Stokes
Thanksgiving celebrated early in a COVID-19 safe way outdoors in Valley Forge Park, Pennsylvania (2020) is a photograph taken by Michael Stokes during the COVID-19 pandemic. The work depicts a group of people in Pennsylvania celebrating Thanksgiving while following COVID-19 regulations. Most of the people in the photo are wearing surgical masks, and they are all outdoors. I like this photo because it is proof of people celebrating Thanksgiving during a difficult time. It shows that even during hard times, people will continue living their everyday lives and enjoying holidays. This is especially relevant to Thanksgiving since it became a national holiday in 1863. This was during the American Civil War. This war was especially deadly as it killed more American soldiers than any other war in history. The wartime Thanksgiving of 1863 and the pandemic Thanksgiving of 2020 are both examples of people continuing to find reasons to celebrate during times of crisis. This shows that Americans will continue to find reasons to celebrate holidays no matter how hard things get. As an American who is terrified of the future, this is a nice fact to hold on to.