Shaker Newel Post c. 1937

Alfred H. Smith rendered this image of a Shaker Newel Post, with watercolor, likely during the 20th century. Note the staircase, a motif rich with symbolic potential. In ancient cultures, staircases signified ascension, a pathway between the earthly and the divine, a concept echoed in Jacob’s ladder. Consider the ziggurats of Mesopotamia, architectural mountains designed as steps for gods to descend. Here, the staircase embodies the Shaker pursuit of spiritual purity. The plainness and regularity of the steps—absent of ostentation—reflect the Shaker values of simplicity and utility. They sought to eliminate worldly distractions, in favor of a direct, unadorned relationship with the divine. This image serves not just as a depiction of a staircase, but as an expression of deeply held spiritual beliefs, ingrained in our collective memory. Thus, it's a visual echo resonating through time.