American Fragments: The Political Aesthetic of Unfinished Forms in the Early Republic by Daniel Diez Couch (review)

Abstract

as many embarked on Grand Tour pilgrimages to Paris and Rome. It would have been in ter est ing to hear what Walcutt and his circle thought of this enthusiasm for Catholic aesthetics among their contemporaries, and if such interests further split along the fine versus commercial art divide Katz describes. A True American is of interest to scholars of the early republic beyond what ever relevance it has to twentyfirstcentury discussions of nativism. It provides a wealth of visual sources for understanding the period as well as for teaching in the classroom, many of which have been underexamined by scholars. It is useful not only for scholars of nativism and antiCatholicism but also for those interested in the history of the industrial book, providing a visual companion to the printed “mechanic accents” of the era. Moreover, A True American brings the visual culture of fraternal orders and artisan brotherhoods to life, allowing readers to glimpse the vibrant imagery that adorned these spaces.