Carl Barks: "A Christmas Trimming" Lithograph

Carl Barks’ fowl miser, Uncle Scrooge McDuck, is the twentieth century’s counter­part to Charles Dickens’ fore­runner, Ebenezer Scrooge, and he plays true to his penny-pinching role in a setting of infamous stinginess, A Christmas Trimming. (Painted in 1972, Barks’ original title was, simply, Christmas Composition.) It was the second of only two litho­graphs -- both miniatures -- released by Another Rainbow with a three-dimensionally paper-sculpted surface (the first was a full-figure portrait of Uncle Scrooge, Pick and Shovel Laborer). It is the only Barks print, however, to have a sprinkling of pearl-dust ink applied, a Japanese wood­block technique dating back to the 1800’s which enhances the effect of falling snow.

Thematically, the picture is based on A Christmas Carol in Prose by Charles Dickens. Disney published this story in the retelling by Annie North Bedford as Donald Duck and the Christmas Carol (Little Golden Books) in 1960 in children's book format. Barks had already done the illustrations for it two years earlier. Season to be Jolly (1974) has the same scenery but is different in content.

The artful composition of the picture results from the fact that the scene is illuminated as if with a spot­light cone and reveals a round arena, but the center lies outside, namely by the Christmas tree held high. Only when the coin falls into Scrooge McDuck's hand will the Christmas tree be placed in the center. The little tree - the puniest that Donald Duck and the nephews could afford (even their piggy bank - still laughing because it is so full! - the children offer), is kept within safe reach by Scrooge McDuck. The slanted position of the tree almost makes it tilt backwards. The outstretched arms (which can mean both reaching out and catching) create a line that holds the tree in its slanted position.

The scene of the action, this old English-looking little town, is shown from a different perspective in its more cheer­ful counter­part Season to be Jolly. Behind the warmly glowing leaded windows of the house we recognize as Ale House, there is a merry party going on. In the streets and squares, festive people sing and cheer, including Donald Duck and the nephews. Everyone seems to be cheering Scrooge McDuck, who, with a frown on his face, drags his sack of money home, past beggars and the poor. The resemblance to Nobody's Spending Fool is striking.

Both pictures belong together and reveal in their juxta­position that no true events from the life of the Ducks are supposed to be depicted (for this the two motifs exclude each other), but two attitudes to Christmas: While poverty and hard-hearted­ness in Christmas Composition create a feeling of desolation, especially because this process takes place in the family, in Season to be Jolly the Christmas spirit breaks through despite all the inter­woven misery and poverty. However, it takes more than a Donald Duck to stand up to the spoilsport Scrooge McDuck: only the general joy of the citizenry creates the spark.

Numbered (351/595). Signed in the lower right corner.