Sussel-Washington Artist

Several dozen drawings, mainly baptismal greetings, have been identified as being by this artist, whose name comes from a depiction of George and Martha Washington in the collection of Arthur Sussel.

The imagery of the pictures is unique in American fraktur, including such things as women in "bee-bonnet"-type hats.

Relatively few works by the artist are known, but they have been found all over Pennsylvania, with examples known from Berks, Lebanon, Dauphin, Lancaster, York, and Schuylkill Counties.

Sources of the artist's designs are unknown, but the work of Johann Conrad Gilbert suggests their influence.

Examples of work by the artist survive in which the outlines have been filled in by another hand, suggesting the presence at death of a collection of blank forms that continued in use.