Top of page

Photo, Print, Drawing [The Byrd's Christmas carol]

[ digital file from color film copy transparency ]

Full online access to this resource is only available at the Library of Congress.

More Resources

[ digital file from b&w film copy neg. ]

Full online access to this resource is only available at the Library of Congress.

About this Item

Title

  • [The Byrd's Christmas carol]

Summary

  • The caricature shows Byrd at the time of his five month solitary sojourn to the South Pole (1934), during the 1933-35 expedition. Depicted as a lonely, teary-eyed explorer, he sits near a two-way radio on a block of ice, embracing the New York Times. He is surrounded by penguins, icebergs, an opened can of turkey, gift wrap, and a small Christmas tree.

Names

  • Covarrubias, Miguel, 1904-1957, artist

Created / Published

  • 1934 Dec. [publication date]

Headings

  • -  Byrd, Richard Evelyn,--1888-1957--Journeys--Antarctica
  • -  Christmas--1930-1940
  • -  Explorers--1930-1940

Format Headings

  • Caricatures--American--1930-1940.
  • Drawings--American--Color--1930-1940.
  • Periodical illustrations--American--1930-1940.

Genre

  • Caricatures--American--1930-1940
  • Drawings--American--Color--1930-1940
  • Periodical illustrations--American--1930-1940

Notes

  • -  In the published version Byrd sends "A Christmas message from the little admiral of Little America," to his friends. He asks them to tell Santa that if he visits him at the South Pole, "I'll be glad to name a glacier or a mountain range after him (as I did for several Santa Clauses, like Rockefeller and Edsel Ford and Charles V. Bob) ... "
  • -  No copyright information found with item.
  • -  Signed, lower left: Covarrubias.
  • -  Title from Vanity fair (New York).
  • -  Bequest and gift; Caroline and Erwin Swann; 1974; (DLC/PP-1974:232.1657)
  • -  In May, 1926, Admiral Richard E. Byrd became an international hero as the first person to fly over the North Pole. However, during his subsequent expeditions in 1928 and 1933-35 to the Antarctic where he established his base camp, Little America, he was criticized after he named the topography after some of his financial backers.
  • -  Forms part of: Caroline and Erwin Swann collection of caricature and cartoon (Library of Congress).
  • -  Published in: Vanity Fair (New York), December, 1934.
  • -  Conserved; 002691.43 1977 Library of Congress Conservation Division. For treatment information, contact the Preservation Directorate. https://ask.loc.gov/preservation pda
  • -  Exhibited: Library of Congress, "They Made Them Laugh and Wince and Worry," 1977-82; National Portrait Gallery, Washington, D.C., "Miguel Covarrubias Caricatures," 1985.

Medium

  • 1 drawing : gouache on white watercolor stock ; 35.3 x 28.9 cm. (sheet)

Call Number/Physical Location

  • SWANN - no. 929 (B size) [P&P]

Source Collection

  • Caroline and Erwin Swann collection of caricature & cartoon (Library of Congress)

Repository

Digital Id

Library of Congress Control Number

  • 2009616479

Reproduction Number

  • LC-USZC4-5236 (color film copy transparency) LC-USZ62-62833 (b&w film copy neg.)

Rights Advisory

Online Format

  • image

Additional Metadata Formats

Rights & Access

The Library of Congress does not own rights to material in its collections. Therefore, it does not license or charge permission fees for use of such material and cannot grant or deny permission to publish or otherwise distribute the material.

Ultimately, it is the researcher's obligation to assess copyright or other use restrictions and obtain permission from third parties when necessary before publishing or otherwise distributing materials found in the Library's collections.

For information about reproducing, publishing, and citing material from this collection, as well as access to the original items, see: Caroline and Erwin Swann Collection of Caricature and Cartoon - Rights and Restrictions Information

  • Rights Advisory: Publication may be restricted. For information see "Miguel Covarrubias," https://aj.sunback.homes/rr/print/res/253_cov.html
  • Reproduction Number: LC-USZC4-5236 (color film copy transparency) LC-USZ62-62833 (b&w film copy neg.)
  • Call Number: SWANN - no. 929 (B size) [P&P]
  • Access Advisory: ---

Obtaining Copies

If an image is displaying, you can download it yourself. (Some images display only as thumbnails outside the Library of Congress because of rights considerations, but you have access to larger size images on site.)

Alternatively, you can purchase copies of various types through Library of Congress Duplication Services.

  1. If a digital image is displaying: The qualities of the digital image partially depend on whether it was made from the original or an intermediate such as a copy negative or transparency. If the Reproduction Number field above includes a reproduction number that starts with LC-DIG..., then there is a digital image that was made directly from the original and is of sufficient resolution for most publication purposes.
  2. If there is information listed in the Reproduction Number field above: You can use the reproduction number to purchase a copy from Duplication Services. It will be made from the source listed in the parentheses after the number.

    If only black-and-white ("b&w") sources are listed and you desire a copy showing color or tint (assuming the original has any), you can generally purchase a quality copy of the original in color by citing the Call Number listed above and including the catalog record ("About This Item") with your request.

  3. If there is no information listed in the Reproduction Number field above: You can generally purchase a quality copy through Duplication Services. Cite the Call Number listed above and include the catalog record ("About This Item") with your request.

Price lists, contact information, and order forms are available on the Duplication Services Web site.

Access to Originals

Please use the following steps to determine whether you need to fill out a call slip in the Prints and Photographs Reading Room to view the original item(s). In some cases, a surrogate (substitute image) is available, often in the form of a digital image, a copy print, or microfilm.

  1. Is the item digitized? (A thumbnail (small) image will be visible on the left.)

    • Yes, the item is digitized. Please use the digital image in preference to requesting the original. All images can be viewed at a large size when you are in any reading room at the Library of Congress. In some cases, only thumbnail (small) images are available when you are outside the Library of Congress because the item is rights restricted or has not been evaluated for rights restrictions.
      As a preservation measure, we generally do not serve an original item when a digital image is available. If you have a compelling reason to see the original, consult with a reference librarian. (Sometimes, the original is simply too fragile to serve. For example, glass and film photographic negatives are particularly subject to damage. They are also easier to see online where they are presented as positive images.)
    • No, the item is not digitized. Please go to #2.

  2. Do the Access Advisory or Call Number fields above indicate that a non-digital surrogate exists, such as microfilm or copy prints?

    • Yes, another surrogate exists. Reference staff can direct you to this surrogate.
    • No, another surrogate does not exist. Please go to #3.
  3. If you do not see a thumbnail image or a reference to another surrogate, please fill out a call slip in the Prints and Photographs Reading Room. In many cases, the originals can be served in a few minutes. Other materials require appointments for later the same day or in the future. Reference staff can advise you in both how to fill out a call slip and when the item can be served.

To contact Reference staff in the Prints and Photographs Reading Room, please use our Ask A Librarian service or call the reading room between 8:30 and 5:00 at 202-707-6394, and Press 3.

Cite This Item

Citations are generated automatically from bibliographic data as a convenience, and may not be complete or accurate.

Chicago citation style:

Covarrubias, Miguel, Artist. The Byrd's Christmas carol. Antarctica, 1934. [Dec. publication date] Photograph. https://aj.sunback.homes/item/2009616479/.

APA citation style:

Covarrubias, M. (1934) The Byrd's Christmas carol. Antarctica, 1934. [Dec. publication date] [Photograph] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://aj.sunback.homes/item/2009616479/.

MLA citation style:

Covarrubias, Miguel, Artist. The Byrd's Christmas carol. [Dec. publication date] Photograph. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <aj.sunback.homes/item/2009616479/>.