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Appenzell peasant art is not a type of art created especially by the farmers but, on the contrary, a type of art for the farmers. Appenzell peasant art originates from both semi-cantons, Appenzell Inner Rhodes and Outer Rhodes, as well as from Toggenburg (St. Gallen). The oldest traces date back to the 16th century. fifty «Fahreimer-Bödeli» can be traced back to the Appenzell recipesperiod 1804-1850. At the same time, the first «Sennenstreifen» originated.
Conrad Starck, born in Gonten in 1765, is considered the founder of Appenzell peasant art. On a wardrobe, painted by Conrad Starck in 1809, the oldest known portrayal of the alpine cattle drive can be seen. This motive appeared only a century later as the main topic in paintings of the the alpine dairy herdsman.
Earlier forms of peasant art: Here and there, rooms were painted, later above all trunks, wardrobes, beds and other items of furniture decorated with ornamental designs of fauna and flora. After 1750, the painter used figures relating to allegorical scenes, life on the farm, hunting life and biblical stories from the Old Testament. At the end of the 18th century, peasant art became more and more popular. Carl Anton Eugster (1713 to approx. 1785) who came from one of the most famous families of painters in Oberegg is reputedly having painted the four-poster bed which is part of the collection of the Appenzell Museum. The then 16 year old Franz Xaver Sutter, from whom the altar picture of the Wildkirchli originates (1785), has helped with the artistic design of the four-poster bed. In religious scenes, the influence of church painting can be seen. At the same time, ornamental plants and the grey coloured countrysides point towards a Barochial style which was very dominant in painting items of furniture and rooms.
«Sennenstreifen» are long, narrow paintings of alpine cattle drives on paper or wood. The oldest well-known «Sennenstreifen» is on a wardrobe painted by Conrad Starck in 1809. Most of the handed-down aquarelle paintings on paper are by Bartholomäus Lämmler.
Since 1804, more and more «Fahreimer-Bödeli» (hand-painted milk pail bottoms) have appeared. They were made as decoration for covering up the real bottoms of milk pails which the alpine dairy herdsmen carried with him on his back during the alpine cattle drive. This way, the alpine cattle drive could be held in a more festive way.
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