"Scherenschnitte" depicting scenes from the Old Testament
Midhurst [West Sussex], England: 1741. Very Good. Item #31833
Midhurst [West Sussex], England, 1741. Original large example of "Scherenschnitte," or scissor art, depicting scenes predominantly from the Old Testament (41x32cm.); mounted within a scherenschnitte paper frame (51x43cm.). The entire display is laid down on black mat in a 19th-century frame (not examined out of frame).
Scherenschnitte is the folk art tradition of cutting paper designs, often incorporating rotational symmetry and silhouettes. A treasured Chinese art dating back to the invention of paper, the tradition was adopted in Europe in the 16th century before making its way to Colonial America, primarily the Pennsylvania region, two centuries later.
This is a stunning English example in which the plethora of intricate detail can take some time to take in. The interior centerpiece depicts Adam and Eve under the forbidden apple tree. They and their furry friends are surrounded by an intricate floral border. Below: the twelve Apostles; above: Mary in the manger, Christ on the cross, and Jesus ascending to Heaven.
Radiating outward lie what are, to us, the most impressive part of this piece - eighteen vignettes, sixteen from the Old Testament, each admirable for their skillful artistry and execution. Jonah and the Whale, Cain slaying Abel, Death and Time, the Last Judgment and Hell are all depicted, the latter in the form of a fire-breathing monster. Happily for the historian the British royal arms are depicted as well as a circular lozenge stating the date and a name: "January 1741" and "James Cox," presumably the artist.
Around the whole is a splendid 4cm-wide border executed in eight scissor-cut strips, glued together and each with two or three cut circles within which the artist has written the titles of each Bible scene. Each circle has its own surrounding design, with only a couple examples repeated. Though we don't know when it arrived in America, this piece was found in a Lancaster, Pennsylvania house. A truly superb example of this traditional folk art and a lovely survival.
Price: $4,500.00