Item Info

Scripts/Text: Fraktur
Language: German
Weiser Number: 171
Physical Description: Leaf
Material: Wove paper; watercolor; ink
Transcription:

[in heart]
Der Vater der Sohn\ und des \ Heiligen geistes \ Glauben \ Hofnung und Liebe \ und die \ Zehen gebot

[in lower left]
Diese Herz ist eine Betrachtung \ über ein ganz Frommer Mensch \ Welcher im Herz Fromm ist,

[in lower right]
Wer diese Artickel in seinem Herz \ hat, Und thud also Darnach \ Dieser ist nun Recht Wegs.

[on bottom]
Manufacktort bey David Bixler im Jahr 1828.

Translation:

[in heart]
The Father, the son, and the Holy Spirit. Faith, Hope and Love and the Ten Commandments.

[in lower left]
This heart is a meditation about a perfectly pious man, who is pious in his heart,

[in lower right]
Who has these articles in his heart, and acts accordingly, this is now the right way.

[on bottom]
Manufactured by David Bixler in the year 1828.

Category: Religious Text
Media Type: Manuscripts
Source: Rare Book Department
Notes:

Hand-drawn; hand-colored; hand-lettered. In the center is a large heart, with a winged angel head above it. Within the heart on the left is an image of God, labeled as the Father, as a seated figure with a halo, holding a sword in one hand and pointing with the other toward the center. To the right is Jesus, labeled as the Son, depicted as a seated figure with a halo, pointing up with one hand and toward the center with the other. In the center is the Holy Spirit, represented as a bird within an oval frame. Below it is a cross, with the word INRI inscribed at the top. Blue brushstrokes in the upper corners of the document represent the sky, or Heaven.
The name “William Youndt.” was stamped six times along the left side at a later date.
According to Frederick S. Weiser, the design is copied from Das Herz des Menschen (Carlisle, Pa., 1825), a popular book among the Pennsylvania Germans (see FLP catalog).
This is the earliest known dated fraktur by David Bixler.

Associated Names: Youndt, William
Provenance: Henry S. Borneman

Bibliography:

“David Bixler” in Russell D. and Corinne P. Earnest, Papers for Birth Dayes: Guide to the Fraktur Artists and Scriveners (East Berlin, Pa.: Russell D. Earnest Associates, 1997), 2^nd ed., vol. 1, pp.106-107.
 

Miriam E. Bixler, “David Bixler, Folk Artist,” Journal of the Lancaster County Historical Society 81, no. 1 (1977): 30-38.

Creation Place Town/Township: Creation Place Note:Based on artist’s location
Region/County:[Lancaster]
City/Town/Township:[Brecknock Township]
State/Province:[Pennsylvania]

Creation Year (Single Year or Range Begin): 1828
Image Dimensions Width: 31.5 cm
ShelfMark: FLP 66
Creator Name: David Bixler (active c. 1828-1864) - Decorator
David Bixler (active c. 1828-1864) - Decorator