Emancipation: The Past and the Future

Why it's great

A circular scene in the center shows a Black family at home in freedom, surrounded by scenes of slavery on one side and a hopeful future on the other. Thomas Nast made this print in 1863, after the Emancipation Proclamation.

🏛️ Part of history

Slavery & the Fight for Freedom (1780–1865) — A circular scene in the center shows a Black family at home in freedom, surrounded by scenes of slavery on one side and a hopeful future on the other.

Where to see it

📍 Location not recordedWe couldn't confirm where it hangs today. Museums sometimes move or lend paintings, so check the museum's website before you travel.

Hang it on your wall

⬇ Hi-res download 2,000 × 1,448 px · 2.9 megapixels This is the largest scan on Wikimedia Commons, which is fairly small for a big print. The museum that owns it may offer a larger one. File page & license ↗

Three places to look for a print of this painting, from budget to museum-grade:

💵 Budget Etsy ↗ Posters and simple prints from small sellers, usually the lowest prices. 🖼️ Mid-range Fine Art America ↗ Good printing on paper, canvas or metal, made to order, with framing options. 🏛️ High-end Meisterdrucke ↗ Museum-grade giclée prints on archival paper or canvas, the closest to the real thing.

These links open search results on each shop's own website; we don't sell anything or earn a commission, and print quality varies by seller. Ask a grown-up before you buy anything.

About the artist

Thomas Nast

1840–1902 · born in Landau in der Pfalz · died in Guayaquil

Thomas Nast was an American cartoonist born in Landau, Germany, in 1840. He moved to New York as a child and became famous in Harper's Weekly for his political cartoons, and is credited with creating the Republican elephant and the modern Santa Claus. He died in Ecuador in 1902, where he served as US consul.