All the attributes of Santa Claus were introduced gradually, in particular by the American illustrators who seized the character between the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century.
In fact, several people and artists have evolved the image of Santa Claus since 1823, which has resulted in the current portrayal of this mythical character. Many illustrators imperceptibly modified the features of Santa Claus and his environment. So, in the 1860s, Thomas Nast, an American illustrator, imposed the idea that Santa Claus came from the North Pole.
Likewise, until the beginning of the 20thth century, Santa Claus had only eight reins (Cupid, Comet, Dancer, Lightning Bolt, Fury, Fringant Tonnerre and Tornado). Rudolph, the ninth rein, was added in 1939 by poet Robert L. May.
Its peculiarity: its red nose allows Santa Claus to go the night of December 24 to 25 because it is very dark and often he has to move in these terrible climatic conditions! Rudolph’s red nose then allows him to orient himself! Santa Claus was drawn by many illustrators in many colors (gray, yellow, blue, green…) before red was imposed by Coca-Cola! Red was, in fact, already the color of Saint Nicholas’ cape in the Middle Ages. However, it was illustrator Haddon Sundblom who portrayed him on a human scale, with his jovial demeanor, plump cheeks and overweight.
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