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Information:
Aaron Mountz was born in the Cumberland Valley in 1873, about three years after Schimmel arrived in that area. Mountz was a farmer, though it is said that he earned little income from agriculture. Toward the end of his life in 1949, he suffered from mental illness that confined him to a hospital. Mountz undoubtedly knew of Schimmel and his carvings, and it may have been Schimmel’s work that inspired the youthful Mountz to try his hand. His family and friends admired one of his early carved eagles, noting that it was "as good as Schimmel."
There are many obvious differences between the works of the two men. Mountz seems to have favored the carefully carved, unadorned pine seen in both his "Crane" and "Owl." In comparison with Schimmel, Mountz’s creatures are highly detailed with tight, controlled carving that is both neat and beautifully patterned. Schimmel’s work is rougher, more exuberant and freely conceived, and required less time to create. The result:hundreds of Schimmel’s pieces survive while fewer than 100 by Mountz are known.
Abby Adlrich Rockefeller Folk Art Museum
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