Tradition and Creativity Intertwined
Bring a Touch of Tradition to Your Space With Our PA Dutch Folk Art
Tradition and Creativity Intertwined
Bring a Touch of Tradition to Your Space With Our PA Dutch Folk Art
Bring a Touch of Tradition to Your Space With Our PA Dutch Folk Art
Bring a Touch of Tradition to Your Space With Our PA Dutch Folk Art
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Who Made Them?
The Pennsylvania Dutch have a long tradition of incorporating art into their everyday lives. Since their arrival in America, they have spread out over the vast farmland of the Mid-Atlantic region. Berks County, Pennsylvania, has been a gathering place for this group of people. The traditional designs which became the basis f
Who Made Them?
The Pennsylvania Dutch have a long tradition of incorporating art into their everyday lives. Since their arrival in America, they have spread out over the vast farmland of the Mid-Atlantic region. Berks County, Pennsylvania, has been a gathering place for this group of people. The traditional designs which became the basis for barn stars and hex signs are rooted in the Fraktur designs of the official documents and certificates in use by the Dutch.
When Did They First Appear?
Barn stars, painted directly on the sides or gables of barns, date back nearly 200 years. The earliest barn star I have found in this area is dated 1819. It is built into the stone, featuring a star design, the date and the initials of the original owners.
Around the end of the American Civil War, barn stars beca
When Did They First Appear?
Barn stars, painted directly on the sides or gables of barns, date back nearly 200 years. The earliest barn star I have found in this area is dated 1819. It is built into the stone, featuring a star design, the date and the initials of the original owners.
Around the end of the American Civil War, barn stars became more prevalent. Painting barns had become more common because the cost of paint had decreased with the advent of mechanized pigment grinding. Many of those early barns still stand today, with a ghost of the original barn star etched in the wood. The different colors of paint had different weathering characteristics, and the unpainted wood eroded with wind and rain even more. In our research, we have found nearly forty barns with gable end barn stars and some on stone houses with star designs. Most were found in Berks, but others were found as far away as Lehi
What Do They Mean?
The exact meaning of these symbols is a subject of much debate. Over the decades, as the art form was passed down from generation to generation, the interpretations changed according to the times. The designs usually consisted of a star with 5,6,7,8,9,12 or 16 points. Each had a special meaning. The 5-point start is supp
What Do They Mean?
The exact meaning of these symbols is a subject of much debate. Over the decades, as the art form was passed down from generation to generation, the interpretations changed according to the times. The designs usually consisted of a star with 5,6,7,8,9,12 or 16 points. Each had a special meaning. The 5-point start is supposed to bring good luck. The six-point star has its origins in the Star of David. The 8-point star is associated with marriage and fertility, extending to the farm and crops. The 12-point star represents the 12 apostles, and the 16-point star represents prosperity. Many newer elements have been added, such as hearts, birds, tulips, butterflies, and rosettes. Each was added to bring a new idea of good luck.
Hex signs came into existence in the 1940s as a way to make the barn star a more portable art form. The designs, ranging in size from 8 inches to 4 feet in diameter, are painted on a wooden disk, and can be hung anywhere, indoors or outdoors.
The term “hex sign” is derived from the Pennsylvania Dutch word “hexafoos” which means “witches foot”. The term was coined in 1923 by Wallace Nutting. While traveling throughout Southeastern Pennsylvania, he became curious about the mysterious signs painted on barns in the area. Being an “Auslander” or foreigner, the local farmers weren’t interested in sharing their secrets. So Nutting decided to fill in the blanks and give these interesting symbols a name of his choosing. Superstitions began to arise after this and have made the hex sign a fun part of the Pennsylvania Dutch folklore.
Milton Hill of Virginville, PA, was one of the early Barnstar painters, beginning in the 1940s through the 1960s. He is noted as the first commercial hex sign painter at the Kutztown, PA, German Festival. He coined the phrase that hex signs are “chust (just) for nice”, meaning just for decorative purposes. Milton was a very talented painter, originating a spinning effect in the barn star, symbolizing a person “spinning through time”.
There are several tours available for you to see many of these historical examples of folk art at work. I would like to thank Bob Emsminger, Dave Fooks, Greg Huber, and Patrick Donmoyer for their assistance in researching these historical landmarks.
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