Return to Book Reviews on Folk Art

Known by the Work of His Hands Claire Messimer Kutztown, PA: The Pennsylvania German Society, 2000 231 pages, approx. 155 illustrations. $65 (hb) Reviewed by Scott H. Suter Volume XXXII in the Pennsylvania German Society's annual publication catalog, Known by the Work of His Hands presents an in-depth look at the gravestone carvings of the Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, stone cutter Joseph Brownmiller. With dates that span most of the nineteenth century (1807-1895), Brownmiller lived through a century of change that included not only tremendous technological advances but sweeping cultural adaptations as well. Working in a community of Lutheran and Reformed christians, the carver's early works demonstrate the ethnicity of his clients in both design and language. Messimer demonstrates, however, how both had changed by the end of his life. The book is divided into two sections: one that details, as much as possible, the life of Brownmiller, and a second that explores his works. Additionally, Part I looks briefly at the history of the region, pointing out Brownmiller's connections to the region both ethnically and physically. The second section, entitled "His Life's Work," provides the real meat of the book. Here Messimer offers her analysis of the work left behind by the carver, detailing its place in the Pennsylvania German culture, and demonstrating how Brownmiller's work reflects changes in the community's outlooks toward death and dying along with its willing acceptance of the changes introduced by mass American culture. The section moves chronologically through the various phases of Brownmiller's career, comparing his work with that of his competitors, and occasionally exploring the sources of his gravestone designs. Chapter 16, "A Closer Look," is perhaps the most informative from a material culture point of view; here Messimer delves into the stones and their designs, looking specifically at gravestone designs and their relationships to other handmade pieces within the region. Here is where the story of change shines through the brightest. Messimer's arguments are supported throughout the work by many photographs of Brownmiller's carved stones. Most often these are clean and crisp, although occasionally an image has been distorted by the printing process. This is not a significant problem, however, and the large number of examples makes up for the few distracting views. This book builds on a growing number of studies that delve into the lives and motivations of craftsmen who lived and worked in the transitional period of the nineteenth century. Often seen simply as a time when traditional craft was replaced by mechanized techniques, studies such as this one demonstrate the complex series of changes that took place over time, leading to gradual changes instead of an all encompassing sweeping away of traditions. Messimer's work should encourage others to explore the life of a single craftsperson to find the deeper meanings behind the works that have been left behind.