Categories: Updates

Fraktur Folk Art (ca. 1750–1820)

Fraktur has its origins in folk art traditions from Alsace, Switzerland, and the Rhineland, but in America it became more colorful, elaborate, and freehand, and far more apt to dominate the script it sought to embellish. The genre’s golden age was the period between 1790 and 1830 — a time when the American religious context was still strong, but the European influence less stultifying. The forms are highly stylized. Hearts, flowers, angels, and various birds are repeated over and over, to soothing effect. The palette favors bold primary colors, traditionally made of inks concocted from berries, iron oxide, and apple juice. The composition is orderly. The tidy leaves of the tidy vines are perfectly equidistant, and the flowers pared down to floral symbols. The goldfinch that appears in many fraktur images is drawn in such a specific way it’s still known by its German name: distelfink. Symmetry reigns, and when it doesn’t, the composition is otherwise balanced. One of the most common fraktur motifs is the “three-heart design” wherein a large heart is complemented by two smaller hearts on either side of its apex — in fraktur, even the most curvaceous of shapes assumes the rootedness of a square.

source

TATANKA

Musician turned web developer turned teacher turned web developer turned musician.

Recent Posts

(AI Gen) ኮኮያ፣ ቡና እና ገና መምህራን

Cocoa, Coffee & Christmas Carols TATANKA's ኮኮያ፣ ቡና እና ገና መምህራን (Cocoa, Coffee & Christmas…

18 hours ago

Charting the Future: Building an Ethical AI Ecosystem in Mauritius

TATANKA’s Vision for Inclusivity, Sustainability, and Global Impact "If it isn't diverse, it isn't ethical."…

20 hours ago

AI for All: Advancing Open-Source Innovation in Mauritius with TATANKA

Empowering Inclusivity in AI Research through Collaborative, Open-Source Initiatives in the Heart of the Indian…

2 days ago

Why TATANKA Must Move: A Heartfelt but Logical Decision

How U.S. Policy Shifts Have Undermined Inclusivity and Necessitated Change "Our ability to reach unity…

3 days ago

(AI Gen) TATANKA’s “Lumoj de la Mondo: Earth’s Winter Celebration” (2024)

Human Editor's Note: As the Earth turns and the seasons shift, there comes a moment…

4 days ago

Mauritius: The Gateway to Africa’s AI Revolution

How the Island Nation is Transforming into a Launchpad for AI Startups Across the Continent…

4 days ago