Name/Title
Placemat: Barbecue Mats, Garden 137, Green/BrownDescription
A two-color silkscreen print on heavy unbleached linen depicting conventionalized herb plants. The text is a partial lyric from a folk song with many titles that likens the cleanliness of a garden to a young woman’s romantic life. This oversized placemat is from a small line Country Prints produced called Barbecue Mats, which were meant for use on the picnic table. The somewhat rough linen fabric implies a more rugged use.
This oversized 15” x 22” placemat set is described in the 1958 Country Prints price list in three colorways, “137 Garden — Herb motifs in Brown/Black, Green/Brown or Pink/Turquoise” on heavy textured tan linen. This example is in the Green/Brown colorway. It is shown in two 1957 production photos, one of printer Edward Stafford printing the mats, and another of the mats being sewn and fringed in the sewing room.
Smaller standard sized matching placemats for indoor use were also produced, as was a matching tablecloth; see images.Made/Created
Artist Information
Artist
Robert Darr WertRole
ArtistManufacturer
Country PrintsDate made
circa 1957Time Period
20th CenturyPlace
Location
Gill MA.Continent
North AmericaInscription/Signature/Marks
“wert by hand”, lower left corner.Materials
Material
Unbleached Linen, Textile Ink, Flecked PaperMaterial Notes
Flecked paper denotes the product tag.
