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Westmoreland Museum of American Art Purchases Significant Fraktur Collection
Contact: Judy L. Ross
 Greensburg, PA - The Westmoreland Museum of American Art has acquired the fraktur collection of Joy and David Brocklebank. Having focused on western Pennsylvania fraktur for 38 years, the Brocklebank's collection consists of more than 200 hand-drawn and printed fraktur from Westmoreland County and other western PA counties. It was assembled by a dedicated scholar who was interested in the artistry and genealogy of these works on paper. First published by the Brocklebank's daughter, Lynn, in "Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, Fraktur, An Initial Survey", in The Magazine ANTIQUES in 1986, the collection has grown substantially and was featured in the 2007 exhibition at The Westmoreland titled Made in Pennsylvania: A Folk Art Tradition.
Judith H. O'Toole, Director/CEO, states, "The acquisition of this major collection of western Pennsylvania fraktur strengthens The Westmoreland's already significant regional folk art collection, which contains important examples of furniture including painted furniture from Soap Hollow, textiles including samplers and coverlets, redware and decorated stoneware, and paintings."
This acquisition was made possible through a planned gift given to The Westmoreland from Greensburg resident William W. Jamison II. The Westmoreland received the nearly $1 million Jamison bequest in 2000 and it remains the largest planned gift to-date made specifically for art acquisitions. "Accumulating the proceeds from the William Jamison Art Acquisition Fund for the past several years has enabled us to make this significant purchase," said O'Toole.
According to The Westmoreland Board of Trustees President Bruce Wolf, "The acquisition of the Joy and David Brocklebank preeminent collection of regional fraktur places The Westmoreland at the forefront of Pennsylvania folk art. We are deeply appreciative of the Brocklebank's decision to entrust us with their lifetime collection and extensive fraktur research library. Our gratitude extends to The Westmoreland staff and board members who helped to make the acquisition possible."
The fraktur tradition in western Pennsylvania flourished primarily in Westmoreland County for more than 100 years where nine artists have been identified by surviving work dated as early as 1788. The collection also contains fraktur from Allegheny, Bedford, Indiana, McKean, Somerset and Washington counties. The Brocklebank fraktur join more than a dozen important Westmoreland County fraktur collected by the Museum since its founding in 1959, making the Westmoreland's collection of western Pennsylvania fraktur the most important public or private collection known.
The term "fraktur" arises from the use of individual letters as opposed to cursive writing. Most early fraktur were executed by hand, while printed text became increasingly common in later examples. Typical artistic motifs in fraktur include birds, hearts, and tulips.
The Brocklebank fraktur collection consists primarily of the following artists known by name:
Johann Carl Scheibeler (active in Westmoreland County 1784–1793)
The 1797 New Years Greeting is one of only two colored examples by this artist. The other example, for 1798, is unsigned in the collection of the Free Library of Philadelphia.
W. Loos (active 1800? –1820)
Loos's work indicates that he was active during the first twenty years of the nineteenth century. Formerly referred to as the "Sober" artist, his identification hinged on the single signed example included in the Westmoreland Museum's permanent collection.
Johann Andreas von Alms (active 1817–1819)
There are three fraktur by Alms in this collection and no other Westmoreland County fraktur are known.
Johann Georg Busyaeger (active 1805–1841)
Busyaeger was the most prolific fraktur artist in Westmoreland County. During his thirty plus years of work, this school teacher created at least 35 percent of the known local fraktur.
Henry Haines (active c. 1850)
Haines was also a maker of gravestones, and one can find stones inscribed "HH" in Hempfield Township. Some of his stonework demonstrates a familiarity with fraktur motifs.
Georg Gottfried Ephraim Burger (active 1820? –1846)
Burger's fraktur (rarely signed) are often confused with those made by Busyaeger. Burger's work is usually more detailed and generally displays a more intense palette. Included is an outstanding example that he made for one of his daughters.
Friederich Hagemeister (active late 1820s)
Hagemeister's work—a few examples of which are signed and dated—is almost always in German and in a horizontal format.
Thomas Johnston (active late 1860s–early 1870s)
The Somerset County example for Elisabeth Baker contains the only known information that identifies Johnston as a teacher.
Today, most major American museums like the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Philadelphia Museum of Art include fraktur in their collection. The definitive text on Pennsylvania fraktur is widely considered to be The Fraktur-Writings or Illuminated Manuscripts of the Pennsylvania Germans, written by Dr. Donald A. Shelley and published by the Pennsylvania German Society in 1961.
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John George Busyaeger (1774-1843) (active c. 1809-1841)
Taufschein made for David Landis, Born April 8, 1804; Baptized
October 13, 1823, signed and dated "J. George Busyaeger Westmoreland County State of Pennsylvania 1825."
Ink and watercolor on paper, 15 1/16 x 12 5/16
Contact:
Judith H. O'Toole, Director/CEO, 724/837-1818, jotoole@wmuseumaa.org
Harley N. Trice, Collections Committee Chairperson, 412/288-3282, Htrice@ReedSmith.com
Judy Linsz Ross, Director of Marketing/ Visitor Services, 724/837-1500 x28, jlross@wmuseumaa.org
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