June 12 - September 26, 2010

This exhibition features selections from a local private collection and is focused on the craftsmen and objects illustrating the traditional heritage of the Pennsylvania Germans. It reflects the personal vision of avid and respected collectors who have made an important contribution to the understanding and scholarship surrounding the cultural significance of these artifacts.

The exhibition includes nearly 100 works of art in a variety of media dating largely from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, and ranging from works of art on paper and watercolor drawings to textiles, metals, furniture and ceramics. Showcasing these individual pieces illuminates the vibrant diversity of Germanic folk arts in Pennsylvania and reveals the influence of various cross-cultural traditions.

Programming for the exhibition will include a gallery talk by guest curator, Louisa Bartlett, on June 25 at 4 p.m. followed by a Members Opening Reception from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. $15 for Non-Members, Free for Members (also covers Jun Kaneko Opening Reception). Additional programming will be offered in September in conjunction with the reopening of the Arts of Southeastern Pennsylvania Gallery at the Museum.

Visually exciting, many objects display an exuberance in decoration that is often found among works by the Pennsylvania Germans who loved to embellish even utilitarian forms. They convey an enjoyment of pattern, texture, form, and color. Glazed red earthenware plates, for example, often served not only a functional purpose but were also celebratory objects presented and sometimes inscribed to commemorate important events such as marriages or anniversaries. Bold contrasting colors in slip and the decorative technique of sgraffito produced distinctive designs. Other ceramic pieces such as small figures of animals or birds are delightful and whimsical expressions.The skill of the craftsman can also be seen in the intricate construction of sugar bowls and pipe holders.

Examples of the work of a number of Berks County potters such as Willoughby Smith and Henry Fahrare are featured in the show. Storage chests also offer an elaborately decorated painted surface. Usually given at a time of coming of age, they were made for both men and women and often inscribed with the names or initials of their owners and dates of presentation. They were used to store clothing and linens and other important objects. Decorative motifs such as unicorns, carnations, and tulips were popular, particularly in Berks and Lebanon Counties. Other furniture forms included in the exhibition include the shrank or cupboard, and brightly painted fancy or Windsor chairs from southeastern and central Pennsylvania.

The technical skill of Pennsylvania artisans in metals is demonstrated by pieces of pewter by accomplished eighteenth century craftsmen such as William Will of Philadelphia and Johan Christoph Heyne of Lancaster. Also displayed are pieces by notable Berks County nineteenth century metalsmiths including several types of brass fat-burning lamps made by Peter Derr of Tulpehocken Township and wrought iron by David Rohrer of Lebanon County.

Among the great strengths of the collection are the works of art on paper. These include not only portraits by watercolor artists such as Jacob Maentel of Berks County subjects, but also an impressive group of fraktur drawings, birth and baptismal certificates, writing samples, valentines, and broadsides. Many of these were hand-lettered and decorated by known fraktur artists and scriveners while others were printed and could have hand-drawn or printed decoration. The birth and baptismal certificates are documents that provide important statistical and genealogical information and serve to emphasize the significance of family relationships and religious affiliations. At the same time, they are imaginative and unique artistic expressions of great charm and individuality.

To download a PDF booklet containing descriptive labels of works in this exhibition, please click here.

For a copy (PDF) of the latest press release on this exhibition, click here.

To watch a WFMZ-TV News segment on this exhibition, click here for a link to their Web site. (aired 7/6/10)