Residence of the Late Patrick McEvoy of Manheim Township
Description
Black and white drawing, pen, ink,pencil and watercolor on cream-colored paper. Drawing show the Harrisburg Pike residence of Patrick McEvoy (1805-1870) who was a railroad contractor and later a partner in a banking house on E. King St. in Lancaster. The drawing consists of a barn and a yard in front with animals and a large house to the right surrounded by large trees. A road in foreground has a carriage, two horses and a driver in motion. A watercolor wash is used to shade and fill in and add texture to grass, trees, roofs, animals, clouds, etc.
Caption at bottom reads: "RES OF LATE PATRICK McEVOY./ MANHEIM, TP LANCASTER, COUNTY, PA." In the second line, "MANHEM, Tp" is crossed out and "Manheim Tp" is handwritten underneath in black ink.
Mounted in a wood frame that is painted black with a veneered face. Step-matted in black and cream.
Seller's label on back reads: "CA. 1875 ORIGINAL B & W WASH OF/ THE RESIDENCE OF THE LATE PATRICK/ McEVOY OF MANHEIM TOWNSHIP/ LANCASTER COUNTY, PA./LOCATED ALONG HARRISBURG PIKE, IT WAS TORN DOWN IN 1967.
Lines of brown soiling around edges. Four small brown moisture stains to left. Minimal brown stains overall. Black line under caption. Two white spots in lower right corner.
Object ID
P.99.01.01
Notes
See paper object file for references to McEvoy in:
- Biographical Annals of Lancaster County, p.99
-1869 Directory of Lancaster County, pp. 305, 395 & 409.
-slide & 2 photos
Patrick McEvoy was born in Ireland in 1805, came to America in 1823 and quickly became a prominent railroad contractor. In 1867 he became a member of the banking house of Evans, McEvoy & Co. in Lancaster. See copy of Bio Annals entry for other notable business and political activities. He died in 1870 and is buried in St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery, Lancaster.
Also, invoice of purchase from The Book Haven, Lancaster, PA
Engraved print entitled "Wright's Ferry, on the Susquehanna,/Pennsylvania." Above the title and under the scene is printed: "Engraved by G. Cooke, from a Large Print, by permission of Mr. Nightingale."
The scene depicts the Susquehanna River as it flows between Wrightsville and Columbia. Two behatted men on the river bank in the foreground, one seated and one standing with a walking stick. The scene looks north to the town of Columbia on the right (east) bank with building nestled close to a large cliff which represents Chickies Rock. Several sailboats are docked at Columbia and another is moored at the west bank of the river with several men standing nearby. No signs of settlement apparent on the York County side of the river.
As noted, this print is copied from another 'large print,' which in turn was published by George Nightingale in London in 1809, drawn by George Beck and engraved by Thomas Cartwright.
Woodcut print on tan, wove paper, done in black ink and hand colored, rectangular shape with vertical orientation. Paper print is mounted with three hinges on cream-colored matboard. Frame is a simple 19th century square profile, brown frame (not original to artwork) with hanging ring at top edge.
Within a single-line border is an image of a female scrivener, in profile, facing viewers left. She is dressed in a blue Empire gown and seated on a tan klismos chair with a strange device underneath (a green pyramid supporting a ball which in turn is surrounded with red balls). Woman has red dot on cheek as well as in a void in her hair. She holds a feather quill in her left hand and a book held up in right hand. Upper left corner of print has a red line painted to delineate a triangle which is painted blue.
Heavily inked lines and large expanses such as hair, book and shoes. All paint is semi-transparent watercolor except for the red which is very thick, opaque and now cracking.
Image is attributed to David Bixler (farmer and folk artist) who produced hand-colored prints such as this as well as portraits, maps, decorated auction bills, taufscheins, religious texts, flowers, etc. He also cut tombstones. See article written by Miriam E. Bixler as well as Papers for Birth Dayes, both in the paper file.
Provenance
This Bixler print is from the Paul Flack collection and is only being brokered through Ron Trauger.
See also: P02.17.1 a Bixler print of stag, P02.27.1-2 prints by Clement Bixler.
Generally very good except for two significant U-shaped tears near top where someone tried to pull piece away from the hinges. (A third hinge holds piece 1/3 from bottom.) Small dog-eared corner at top right. Darkened paper overall. A test of the pH pen indicates all mounting board is neutral or acid-free.
Object ID
P.01.59.1
Notes
David Bixler and his brother Absolam (d. 1884, a potter, woodcarver and farmer) were sons of Abraham Bixler (d. 1847) who owned a sawmill on Muddy Creek in Brecknock Twp. David Bixler lived on the road from Dry Tavern to Reamstown in Brecknock Twp.
Consult paper file for references, prices and copy of "David Bixler, Folk Artist" by Miriam E. Bixler, published in the Journal of the Lancaster County Historical Society, vol. 81, No. 1, 1977.
