Atlanta museum displays Santa Claus images from Coke collection

ATLANTA - A new exhibit at Atlanta&#39;s High Museum of Art will display a series of Coca-Cola ads that influenced the popular image of Santa Claus. <br> <br> The 18 paintings on display, created between 1931 and 1964 by the late illustrator Haddon Sundblom, first appeared in the soda company&#39;s holiday advertisements. <br> <br> Sundblom&#39;s Santa was a rosy-cheeked, jolly, fat man, dressed in a red suit with white trim that echoed the corporate colors of Coca-Cola. <br> <br> The Santa paintings are stored in Coke&#39;s archives for most of the year, except for seven typically on permanent display at the World of Coca-Cola museum in Atlanta. <br> <br> But during the holiday season, the paintings come out <br> <br> Coke archivist Phil Mooney says the paintings have been shown in Paris, Sydney, Tokyo and Toronto, but they have never been shown together in Atlanta. <br> <br> The paintings have a quality like those of another artist showcased by the High Museum a few years ago -- Norman Rockwell. <br> <br> Sundblom painted his last Santa for the company in 1964. He died in 1976.