Milking Stool 1841 - 1860

Curator: Here we have a Shaker "Milking Stool," crafted sometime between 1841 and 1860, now residing here at The Art Institute of Chicago. The photograph shows the stool made with a smooth, likely hard wood and built on three legs. Editor: Oh, what a lovely little thing! It has this quiet presence, doesn't it? Simple, almost elemental in its form, like something plucked straight from the earth, with a very subtle sense of rustic refinement to it. Curator: The Shakers, after all, prized utility and simplicity. Every object had to serve a purpose, and serve it well. No unnecessary adornment, nothing superfluous. Editor: But the craftsmanship, though! I'm drawn to the way the legs curve slightly. Do you think the shaping process informed their artistic style and spiritual views, like how labor and devotion meet? The attention to that kind of detail seems almost meditative. Curator: It’s undeniable. Each Shaker community emphasized quality and perfection. This wasn't just a stool; it was a reflection of their values and testament to their commitment to doing common work uncommonly well. Also, consider the scale; imagine someone sitting on this for hours, a daily grind, a life close to labor, or simply a quiet contemplative moment. Editor: Absolutely. Thinking of process: Did the repetitive actions, you think, become part of their meditative or even religious practice? The idea of production for them, it seems it goes hand-in-hand with devotion. Like each stool echoes this deeper philosophy. Curator: Precisely! We, today, consume items—the Shakers had more intimacy with objects, imbuing them with the maker’s values. Editor: Seeing this, I'm reflecting that beauty truly is in the everyday and even in the humblest of materials. A reminder that value isn't always loud or extravagant. Curator: Exactly! What begins as simple need then elevates to something profoundly poetic!