Name/Title
Towel, Wallhanging: Hex U201Description
A five-color silkscreen print on natural linen depicting ten hex signs on a weathered three-plank door with three wrought iron strap hinges and a wrought iron handle with thumb-latch.
At the top center of the door, within a heart, are the initials “JHW”. The heart is flanked by “18” on the left and “33” at right. Through geneological research, it was found that Wert’s great grandfather, John Henry Wert, was born in Pennsylvania in 1833, giving Wert a connection to the Pennsylvania “Dutch” Germans and the distinctive folk art they produced. John Henry Wert was a farmer. He and his wife Elizabeth Charlton had two sons, Charles and Hubert. Charles is Wert’s grandfather. John Henry Wert appears to be the first of his lineage to leave Pennsylvania for Ohio, where Robert Darr Wert was born in 1915.
This print appears in the brochure “Country Prints by Robert Darr Wert and Neighbors”, c.1966; see images.
This is one of over sixty designs sold by Country Prints to Stevens Linen Associates of Dudley, Massachusetts, in January 1969. From that point onward, the designs were produced by Stevens with all reference to Robert Darr Wert and Country Prints removed. Many of these designs continued to be produced by Stevens throughout the 1970’s and some into the 1980’s.
In a memo from Fritz Kaufhold (Country Prints business manager) to Bob MacKay (Stonelea Mills/Stevens Linen Associates) dated February 12, 1969, Fritz notes this and a group of other Pennsylvania “Dutch” inspired designs were regional to Pennsylvania and adjacent states. This design, number U201, was noted as an average seller.Made/Created
Artist Information
Artist
Robert Darr WertRole
ArtistManufacturer
Country PrintsDate made
circa 1965Time Period
20th CenturyPlace
Location
Gill MA.Continent
North AmericaInscription/Signature/Marks
“© wert COUNTRY PRINTS”, lower left corner; “by hand on pure linen”, lower right corner.Dimensions
Height
30-1/4 inWidth
16-1/2 inMaterial
Unbleached Linen, Textile InkColor
Brick Red, Green, Blue, Yellow Ochre, Black
