Peaceable Kingdom 1832

Edward Hicks, a Quaker minister and painter, created this image of "Peaceable Kingdom" without a specific date, reflecting his spiritual and moral beliefs. Hicks draws upon the biblical passage from Isaiah, where the wolf dwells with the lamb, to imagine a world free from conflict. Yet, it's impossible to ignore the fraught historical context of early America in which this image was created. Hicks was deeply concerned with the relationship between white settlers and the indigenous population. In the background, we see William Penn's treaty with the Lenape Indians, an event idealized as a moment of peaceful coexistence. However, the very presence of this scene within a utopian vision of harmony underscores the tensions and displacement inherent in the colonial project. Hicks uses his art to express a longing for reconciliation. Ultimately, "Peaceable Kingdom" invites us to reflect on our own relationship to the past, and to consider what it truly means to build a just and equitable world for all.