SAMUEL BENTZ (1792-1850), MOUNT PLEASANT ARTIST

Working in Lancaster County from 1810 to 1842, Bentz was principally a schoolmaster. Formerly known as the "Mount Pleasant Artist," Bentz was probably associated with the Evangelical Luteran Church in Brickville, Warwick Township. Bentz's work is part of a known group of watercolor illuminated certificates characterized by an overall astragal plan and bold geometric forms.Inscribed in German, this birth certificate features Samuel Bentz's distinctive striped orb motifs and includes human faces, details seen with less frequency in his work.