Ed Johnston (artist)
Penmanship Drawing
Pennsylvania: c. 1939
Pen and ink drawing with faint watercolor wash
Inscribed and signed lower left
21.75 x 17 inches, overall
28 x 23 inches, framed
Sold, please inquire as to the availability of similar items.
Penmanship Folk Art Drawing
Pennsylvania: 1930s
Pennsylvania: 1930s
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Unusual folk art original penmanship drawing, the middle section depicting a man driving a car by a lighthouse and tree, the top and bottom sections decorated with doves rendered in a decorative curvilinear style.
During the 19th century, students often completed penmanship exercises incorporating calligraphic letters with plant and animal motifs; popular subjects included doves, eagles, deer and trees. The genre was related to Pennsylvania Dutch frakturs -- folk art illuminated manuscript certificates. The 20th century example offered here updates the tradition by including an automobile and a lighthouse along with the more typical dove. Perhaps the artist chose these images to personalize it for the recipient, Naomi Cox of Telford, Pennsylvania.
The drawing is float mounted in a later custom Hicks-style frame with red bole ground, gilt fillet, and black square corner blocks.
Inscribed lower left: “To Miss. Naomi. Cox. of Telford, Pa. Drawn by Ed Johnston.”