Lithograph

Title:

The American Mammoth Ox, - Brother Jonathan

Object Name:

Lithograph

Object ID:

1975.602

Creator:

Desvignes, Herbert-Clayton (1811-1874)Artist; Fairland, Thomas (1804-1852)Printer; Chambers, William Henry (1790-1845)Publisher

Place of Origin:

London, England

Date:

1839

Description:

Hand-colored lithograph, The American Mammoth Ox, - Brother Jonathan, lithographed and printed by Thomas Fairland (1804-1852), after Herbert-Clayton Desvignes (fl. 1833-1863), published by Mr. Chambers, 1839. Ink and watercolor on paper. Depicts ox standing (side view) looking left. Wooden gate at left. Nondescript landscape. Lower left, below image: "Painted by H. Desvignes". Center: "London, Published by Mr. Chambers, 150, Strand." Right: "On Stone and Printed by Fairland." In lower margin text telling of animal's history and size. Printed lower margin at center: THE AMERICAN MAMMOTH OX, - BROTHER JONATHAN. / WEIGHING 4,000 POUNDS, OR 500 STONE, _ OF BEAUTIFUL PROPORTIONS. / This astonishing Animal was Six Years old on the 15th May, 1839; Colour, Dapple Bay; was bred by the Honourable ISAAC HUBBARD, in the Town of Claremont, State of New Hampshire, New / England; and imported to England under a heavy Bond to Her Majesty's Customs to Reship Brother Jonathan to America in six months, this beautiful Creature was exhibited at the Egyptian / Hall, Piccadilly, London, seven weeks, during which time 22,368 persons visited him including most every branch of the Royal Family, and the leading Agricultural Noblemen and Gentlemen, He has been purchased by some Gentlemen for the purpose of exhibiting him thro [sic] the Agricultural districts to shew the laudable rivalry in the Transatlantic Brethren. - / Her Majesty's Government have been pleased to extend the Bond." To the left in lower margin: "PROPORTIONS. / Measuring in Length, from Nose to Rump 11ft. 10in. / Ditto Height over Fore Shoulder 5ft. 11in. / Ditto Girth 10ft. 9in. / Ditto Loins 9ft. 11in." To the right in lower margin: "PROPORTIONS. / Measuring the Breath of Hips 3ft. 1in. / Ditto Ditto Shoulder 2ft. 11in. / Ditto Girth of Fore Arm 2ft 6in. / Ditto Height of Breast from Ground 1ft. 11in." Mahogany veneer frame with beveled interior, glazed

Material:

Paper

Dimensions:

H-20.5 W-23.1 inches

Provenance:

The American Mammoth Ox or Brother Jonathan was raised by a Claremont, NH, farmer, Isaac Hubbard (d. 1861). The ox was born in 1832 and grew at an astonishing rate; by the time it was one year old it is reported to have weighed 874 pounds. Hubbard, in turn, named the bull "Olympus". In the fall of 1838, the ox was taken to London, England for exhibition by a Mr. Niles of Boston and was given the name "Brother Jonathan". It was exhibited in England and in France. It returned to England where it was slaughtered for beef.

Originally used by Loyalists as a negative term for Patriots during the American Revolution, the name "Brother Jonathan" became the personification of the United States before the use of Uncle Sam. By renaming the ox "Brother Jonathan," the ox becomes a symbol for the United States and its national and agricultural power. See "The Great American Ox," in Barre Gazette, 07/05/1839, p. 1.

Credit Line:

New Hampshire Historical Society Collection

People:

Hubbard, Isaac (1770-1861), Desvignes, Herbert Clayton (1811-1874), Fairland, Thomas (1804-1852), Chambers, William Henry (1790-1845)

Subjects:

Ox, Oxen, Livestock, Exhibitions, Agricultural exhibits, Agriculture, Entertainment