Jeff Bridgman Antique Flags
folk paintings:



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Most of the paintings I buy fall in the category of folk art, as opposed to fine art. This is because I am drawn to the creative and exaggerated interpretations of untrained artisans. I find great satisfaction in the long-faced and depth-less portraitures of the New England itinerant artists, and the naive, ill-proportioned landscapes of the Hudson River painters. I am also fond

But I am particularly intrigued by the works of Pennsylvania Germans, who had boundless imagination and a complete lack of shame in their use of color. They would just as soon paint pigs blue and cows green, dream of mermaids and monsters, or invent birds that did not exist. Reality has always been harsh for the hard working Pennsylvania farmer, and fantasy had more to offer.

Sometimes I choose academic examples, due to folk overtones, atypical subject matter, or outstanding quality. I take great care in my selection of early American art, and hope you will enjoy the offerings on this site.



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Pennsylvania German Fraktur and Related Arts

The word "fraktur" translates to broken or fractured writing. Pennsylvania German fraktur were handwritten or machine-printed religious illuminations that recorded births, deaths, baptisms, and marriages.

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