This beautiful patriotic eagle is a masterpiece example
of the art of scherenschnitte, or paper cutting, where a
single piece of paper is carefully cut to produce
incredible examples of folk art. The most
masterful existing patriotic examples are attributed to
Isaac Stiehly (b. 1800, d. 1869) of the Mahantongo
Valley in Pennsylvania in the early 19th century.
This is a wonderful example of Stiehly's work. A
few very rare examples of Stiehly's scherenschnitte have
survived, despite being so fragile. His patriotic
works are among the most sought after examples of early
Americana.
This particular piece is an exemplary representation of
the type. While some surviving examples are titled
with phrases such as "Temperance" or "Perseverance", the
title of this piece, simply titled "Liberty", is in my
opinion, the perfect title to capture the American
Spirit. The eagle, with patriotic shield
protecting its breast, holds a stylized 11 Star American
Flag in her beak, in the Third Maryland or Cowpens
pattern--a wreath with a single center star. She
holds a rattlesnake in its talons, the symbolism of
which dates to the pre-Revolutionary period, first
representing the union of the colonies in the "Unite or
Die" drawing published in Benjamin Franklin's
Pennsylvania Gazette, and later added to the "Don't
Tread On Me" Gadsden flag. Stiehly showcases his
incredible skills in the art through the intricate
chainwork, floral motifs, and the carefully cut feathers
of the eagle. The scherenschnitte remains in its
original frame, which appears to be a silver-gilt frame
that has since blackened with tarnish. Overall it
survives as one of the finest patriotic examples of this
folk art form known today.
References:
- Stars and Stripes, Patriotic Motifs in American Folk
Art, by Deborah Harding, 2002, Rizzoli Publishing,
New York, p. 10, 242. |
