The king of them all
Subject(s): Christmas, Families, Family, Fictitious characters, Nursery rhymes, Santa Claus, Santa Claus (Fictitious character)
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A jolly Santa Claus sits in a large chair at center with toys at his feet. A family with two little girls, possibly twins, and several children and servants approach him, smiling, on the right. Many nursery rhyme characters approach on the left, looking sad and distressed.
Comments and Context
In Samuel Ehrhart’s center-spread cartoon in Puck‘s 1904 Christmas issue, the familiar characters of generations children’s stories seem upset that modern children are more taken with shiny toys and dolls. Santa Claus seem complicit, and doting parents encourage the new over the old.
It is a sign of the times that Ehrhart’s typical family in the cartoon seems decidedly upper-middle class if not upper-class in the attire of all the generations. His observation is not about class, but it is an indication of the relative prosperity of Americans during Theodore Roosevelt’s presidency.
Collection
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
Creation Date
1904-12-07
Creator(s)
Ehrhart, S. D. (Samuel D.), approximately 1862-1937
Period
U.S. President – 1st Term (September 1901-February 1905)
Repository
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division
Page Count
1
Record Type
Image
Resource Type
Rights
These images are presented through a cooperative effort between the Library of Congress and Dickinson State University. No known restrictions on publication.
Citation
Cite this Record
Chicago:
The king of them all. [December 7, 1904]. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs.
https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o278056. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
MLA:
Ehrhart, S. D. (Samuel D.), approximately 1862-1937. The king of them all. [7 Dec. 1904]. Image.
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. May 14, 2026. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o278056.
APA:
Ehrhart, S. D. (Samuel D.), approximately 1862-1937., [1904, December 7]. The king of them all.
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
Retrieved from https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o278056.
Cite this Collection
Chicago:
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/collection/library-of-congress-prints-and-photographs. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
MLA:
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. May 14, 2026. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/collection/library-of-congress-prints-and-photographs.
APA:
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. Retrieved from https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/collection/library-of-congress-prints-and-photographs.
