Peaceable Kingdom 1844

Edward Hicks, a 19th-century American folk painter, created "Peaceable Kingdom" using oil paint on canvas, materials common to fine art practice. Hicks was a Quaker minister and sign painter, and these backgrounds deeply influenced his art. He was trained in coach-making, so he had extensive experience in the application of paint. The scene depicts a utopian vision derived from the Bible, where wild animals coexist peacefully. The artist used the material qualities of oil paint to render the animals with detailed textures, soft fur, and expressive eyes. His style blends naive rendering with careful observation, giving the scene a dreamlike, idealized quality. The painting's emphasis on harmony and peace reflects Hicks’s Quaker beliefs, offering a critique of the social and economic tensions of his time. He made numerous versions of this painting, reflecting its personal importance, and the significance of craft and faith in shaping both his life and art.