We went to church this morning and then to Applebee's for lunch with Sarah, John and the kids to celebrate Ashley's birthday. Then back home where I hunkered down to write. As I was looking up some information on Margaret Fell Fox, "Mother of the Quakers," I came across a book with a copy of a wonderful painting on the cover. Turns out it was painted by an American, Edward Hicks in 1833. Here is what I discovered about this Quaker preacher:
Trained as a sign,
coach, and ornamental painter, Hicks painted over a hundred versions of his
now-famous Peaceable Kingdom between 1820 and his death. His artistic
endeavors provided modest support for his activities as a Quaker preacher in
Bucks County, Pennsylvania. The theme of this painting, drawn from chapter 11
of Isaiah, was undoubtedly attractive to Hicks and fellow Quakers not only for
its appealing imagery but also for its message of peace: "The wolf also
shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid, and the
calf and the young lion and fatling together; and a little child shall lead
them."
In my quest for Hick's work, I happened on some other delightful paintings. Discovering such artwork is a wonderful way to waste time on the computer.
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| Jon Rappleye, "Nightwood Bloom" |
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| Leo Rawlings, "The Peaceable Kingdom" |
