Saturday, February 4th, 2023
Painting of wagon accident gets an upgrade
From staff reports
Submitted Photo
A wagon accident is depicted this painting of early St. Marys. The Auglaize County Historical Society is having the painting upgraded by a Cleveland conservator.
ST. MARYS - A folk art painting depicting a wagon accident in the early days of St. Marys is getting an upgrade.
The Auglaize County Historical Society is conserving the painting that was made some time after the Civil War.
The historical society during the pandemic arranged for a conservation expert to review its collection of artifacts and buildings. The expert also issued recommendations for best practices.
One of those recommendations was to conserve a folk art painting at the Daniel F. Mooney Museum in St. Marys. The picture depicts a wagon accident and people walking through water. It also shows a nearby structure labeled Dieker House.
The Dieker House was one of the very early hotels in St. Marys, according to historical society administrator Rachel Barber.
Not much is known about the painting which Barber said was donated to the museum along with a painting by Richard Veenfliet.
Veenfliet's painting features the Schlabberhannes Klub, a group of St. Marys leaders who got together to play cards.
The mystery painting doesn't appear to be a Veenfliet.
"It doesn't look like (Veenfliet's) other work," Barber said. "We can't say for sure."
An 1856 Colton's map of the United States in poor condition is taped to the back of the painting. The map is not considered rare.
The painting has been sent to a conservator in Cleveland which will remove the map and frame the art.
The cost is $7,000 and will be paid with a donation from the St. Marys Community Foundation.
After the painting is reframed it will return to the Mooney museum.
The Auglaize County Historical Society will celebrate the county's 175 anniversary on Feb. 14 with 175 seconds of bell ringing and cake servings at various locations across the county including the St. Marys Community Public Library starting at 10 a.m. and the New Bremen and Minster libraries at 11:30 a.m.
A first baby contest is also being organized for babies born on or after 12:01 a.m. Feb. 14.
A gala is planned at the Auglaize County Courthouse 7 to 10 p.m. Feb. 18. Tickets can be purchased for $25 through the Auglaize County commissioners office and area chambers of commerce.
