Watercolor of Eli K. Mylin farm, mounted in large gilt frame.
Painting is done on a rectangular, heavy sheet of sepia-brown paper with textured surface. Executed in greens, brown, red and white. Immediate foreground shows a railroad stretching from left to right, bordered by wooden fencing. Fields in near foreground lead up to a farmstead in midrange consisting of a stone house at far right encircled by a white picket fence, a large white barn at far left, and various outbuildings located between them. Distant fields rise slightly to form rolling hills with trees and fencing at horizon. Sketchy white clouds are arranged across the sky.
The farm is located directly south of Willow Street, Pequea Twp., Lancaster County and belonged to donor's great-grandfather. Her grandmother, Lillie V. Stehman, grew up there before marrying Isaiah D. Stehman and moving to Mount Joy.
The 1864 Atlas shows E.K. Mylin residing in the extreme southeast corner of Pequea Twp. The 1899 Atlas shows two farms in close proximity, both owned by E. K. Mylin.
Painted in 1913, probably from a photo post card (with a May 1906 postmark) that shows this exact scene.
(Written by Wendell Zercher.)
Provenance
Given in memory of Isaiah D. Stehman and Lillie V. Stehman, grandparents of the donor, Mrs. M. Patricia Bowman of Harrisburg, Pa. Donated on July 11, 2001.
Overall good condition. Minor buckling across surface with vertical streaks of dark soil across both painting and backing paper. Bother papers have suffered some fading. Frame has much of gliding intact on interior surfaces although worn and soiled but exterior surfaces of frame have been painted over to hid chips and losses. Reverse side of frame has torn and soiled brown paper backing covering two large wood back boards.
Christmas card with a photo on front with a man holding a sign that says "Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year is my Wish to You." Probably Isaiah D. Stehman
