The Daring Hero

Date1792

Artist Jacob Strickler (1770-1842)

MediumWatercolor, resin, and ink on laid paper

DimensionsPrimary Support: 16 5/16 x 13 1/4in. (41.4 x 33.7cm) and Framed: 19 9/16 x 16 1/4 x 1 1/8in. (49.7 x 41.3 x 2.9cm)

Credit LineMuseum Purchase

Object number1974.305.9

DescriptionA full-length rendering of a man on horseback. He wears a long red coat, red breeches or trousers and knee-high black boots, a pointed cap or hat and, in his proper right hand, wields an ax. The sheath for his sword is striped black and gold (or yellow). He faces the viewer, but the horse is shown in profile moving to the left. The man holds the horse's reins in his proper left hand. The reddish brown horse simultaneously lifts a front and rear foot. Behind the horse is a tree with a parrot perched in it. Wording is scattered over several sections of the composition.
The 2-inch molded wood frame, painted black and green with a 1/4-inch sawtooth decorated inner edge, is probably a period replacement.
Label TextThis powerful and bizarre drawing is signed by Jacob Strickler and dated at the bottom 1792 and 1793. Its assigned title reflects the artist's own choice as inscribed at upper left, although scholars theorize that the figure on horseback represents Saint George, who like "the daring hero," fought a large and dangerous dragon.
Close examination of the piece reveals a heavy scribed line around the horse and rider, suggesting that Strickler used a pattern of some sort, perhaps printed, to trace this part of the design. Similar figures appear on frakturs by Friedrich Krebs and on the work of a few other decorators, but none is as large in scale as Strickler's hero.
Certain details in this example may have been added after 1793, while other areas seem to have been left incomplete for no apparent reason. The outline of a bird at lower left, and the various calligraphic devices within the outline and surrounding it, along with the 1793 date, were probably later additions. More curious, however, are the arrangement and content of the inscriptions throughout. These also seem unclear and incomplete. Perhaps Strickler, having begun and finished the principal part of the work in 1792, later became dissatisfied with the fraktur. This might explain his inscription on the verso that reads: "I have not done it right."
The flowers blossoming at the top of the tree and the sawtooth pattern in the horse's harness, in the ax handle, and at the tree base are characteristic of Strickler's motifs and style. The large decorative parrot was undoubtedly inspired by printed "Taufscheine" and possibly the fraktur drawings of Henrich Otto.
InscribedIn German, the ink inscriptions read: (upper left) "der wagende held der sich in/ die gefah begab zu streiten mit/dem grosen linden wurm genant"; (under horse's raised foot, left) "Pracht und hofattmeid/uberlafu dass du"; (under the other feet) "Guth und geld hab ich als wenig/Verachtig keit hab ich lieb dann/Jacob Strickler 1792 Gott sey/hat das Bild gemacht Wohnhaft in Schanedor Caunty fur alles gutes/christilich 1793."
The English translations read: (upper left) "The daring hero who puts himself in danger to battle with the great dragon named"; (under horse's raised foot, left) "Ostentation and pride"; (under the other feet) "I have little property and money/I like contemptuousness then/Jacob Strickler 1792/made the picture residing in Shenandoah County/God be for all good Christians 1793." Text is not always clear or apparently complete.
MarkingsA watermark in the primary support reads, "A KELLER" with the image of a tulip opposite, the design used by the Abraham Keller firm, which began papermaking about 1781 and operated at least until 1810 in Exeter Township, Berks County, Pa.

See also "Inscriptions."

ProvenanceThis piece was acquired, along with 11 others (see "Related Works") from Jesse Modisett, Augustus M. Modisett, Harold M. Modisett, and Mrs. Lawrence H. Modisett. Jesse Modisett's letter to Don Walters dated December 19, 1974, identifies these three relations as his brothers and sister-in-law. Ownership prior to the Modisetts' has not been recorded.