Wythe County, Virginia, or vicinity, dated October 17, 1800, watercolor and ink on laid paper, symmetrically decorated in a triadic palette of yellow ochre, light vermilion and gray blue, design elements comprising meandering tulips flanking two wild turkeys with central heart motif, the lower register composed of Maltese crosses and hearts, presented behind glass, within an antique faux grain frame, with Tillou Gallery label to verso.
Inscriptions reading:
Upper center: "Gott allein die Ehre" (To God alone the glory).

Middle: "Im Jahr Christi: Anno 1800 den 17th...Octob/ Ist an das Licht dieser Welt geboren worden / Der Vater ist John Petter ^Jantz / un die Mut-/ter Catharina eine gebohrene (Naßlin?) und die Tauf-/Zeugen sind die Großeltern Peter Jantz und [?] Ehefrau)".
(In the year of Christ: Anno 1800 the 17th...Octob. John Petter was born into the light of this world. The father is John Petter ^Jantz and the mother Catharina nee (Naßlin?). The baptism sponsors/witnesses are the grandparents Peter Jantz and [?] wife).

Lower center: "Mein Hertz soll sein / Gott den Herrn / allein" (My heart shall be God the Lord's alone).

Lower left: "Sein / Wort sein Taufsein /Nachtmahl dientwie-/der allen unfall" (His word, His baptism, His Communion shields against all misfortune).

Lower right: "Der / Heilge Geist im / Glauben Lehrt uns / darauf Vertrauen" (The Holy Spirit in faith teaches us to trust in it).

Sheet size 7 3/4 x 12 3/4 in; Frame dimensions 11 3/4 x 16 1/4 in.

The Estate of the late Dr. Larry Southworth, Fredericksburg, Virginia

Jeffrey Tillou Antiques, Litchfield, Connecticut.

For a similar frakturs by the artist, please see:
The Art Museum of Colonial Williamsburg, object number 1972.305.1

Jeffrey S. Evans & Associates, November 15th, 2014, Lot 495.

Folk Frakturs by the Wild Turkey Artist (active 1770-1822 in Wythe County, Virginia) are extremely rare, with only about 30 or so known. The artist created these important folk art works for Protestant German Palatine patrons settling in the Virginia area whom came to flee religious persecution and find rich farmland for prosperity via the Great Wagon Road. Frakturs were a type of manuscript folk art utilizing text and pictorial compositions to commemorate various events and took many forms including "Taufscheine" or birth and Baptismal certificates; "Vorschriften" or writing specimens; religious broadsides; illuminated books and bookplates; love letters, true-lovers’ knots, valentines, ample grove designs; and others.

Genealogical research of this work may point to a Virginia born male John Petter, alternatively spelled "Pelter" in some records, whose birth dates are inferred in various sources "about 1801", and a date of death listed on March 19th, 1888 in Franklin County, Virginia. John Petter married Elizabeth Lumsden (1809-1877) on the 6th of April, 1835. His occupation was listed as "Farmer". Census reports in 1850 and 1870 indicate the couple lived in Franklin and Rocky Mount, Virginia, bearing (10) children, some of which remained in the Virginia area, while others moved West.

Some lightfastness fading, with areas of toning and foxing to sheet; the left perimeter edge with small area of loss; creased in quarters with minute areas of associated loss near center; surface wear to frame.