Ontario Fraktur

This is the first serious study done in Canada of Fraktur, a rich tradition of folk art having its beginnings in Medieval Europe and brought to North America by Germanic settlers fleeing religious persecution. The art of manuscript illumination attained its most exuberant form of expression among the Germanic communities of Pennsylvania in the 18th and 19th centuries. Michael Bird examines in detail the major teaching groups who practiced at that time and discusses the tradition as it appears in the three founding Mennonite communities in southern Ontario - the Niagara Peninsula, Markham Township and Waterloo County. Further aspects explored are the calligraphic and pictorial elements of Fraktur, its major decorative uses, and a consideration of Fraktur as religious art. With its 242 illustrations, many in full color, this book presents a treasury of beautiful images that will delight all those with an interest in art.