Bauernmalerei

Bauernmalerie is a big German word, but if you break it down, “Bauern” means “peasant or farmer”, and “malerei” means “painting”. So this an instruction book on folk art painting, a simply, easy and primitive painting style handed down from early itinerant painters of Bavaria and Switzerland. Although this book shows step-by-step visuals of how to paint roses, leaves and flowers, many of the early painters in the 18th and 19th century, painted and even stenciled their decorations in a very simple style. Carving a rose onto the exposed half of a potato, dipping it into paint and stenciling it onto a shrank (cupboard) was considered decorative and beautiful. Many of the painting was done to preserve the wood as well as add decoration into the simple homes of the farmers. This book is full of folk art history and stories. Follow along as Pipka takes you on a day by day itinerary through Germany and Switzerland, meeting the artists along the way. Of course the European artists also wanted to feed their American counter parts, so there are a few recipes tucked into the pages as well.