loading image
European immigrants from Germanic-speaking parts of Europe began settling in southeastern Pennsylvania in the late seventeenth century. In Europe, most of these industrious immigrants were peasants, artisans, and small farmers. Although agriculture served as the major industry, many people worked as farmer-craftsmen in the new world. Because Pennsylvania Germans lived in isolated, rural communities, they maintained strong cultural traditions for over two hundred years. During this time, Pennsylvania German folk art flourished. Woodworking, carving, and whittling were commonly practiced by males in Pennsylvania Germans communities prior to the Industrial Revolution. Men often made items of furniture for their homes, such as this chair, which is embellished with a heart—a beloved Pennsylvania German motif. Stool courtesy of the collection of the Landis Valley Village and Farm Museum, Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. See "#AmericanFolkArt: An Enduring Legacy", on display, pre-security, in the International Terminal. http://bit.ly/AmericanFolkArt
This image was posted on December 27, 2017.