Shaker Case for Knitting Needles 1935 - 1942

Helen E. Gilman made this watercolor and graphite drawing of a Shaker Case for Knitting Needles. Shaker designs are admired today for their simplicity and functionality, embodying values of honesty, utility, and spirituality. In the 20th century, the Shakers became the subject of increased historical interest. Gilman, born in 1913, belonged to a generation of American artists that documented and celebrated earlier traditions of American craft. As with the broader Arts and Crafts movement, this interest reflected a reaction against industrialization. The Shakers' carefully hand-crafted objects, like this knitting needle case, were seen as antidotes to an increasingly mechanized world. This image offers a glimpse into the material culture of a religious community and the way later American artists looked to the past for inspiration. Historical societies, archives, and museum collections can provide further insights into both Shaker history and the American craft revival of the 20th century.