| | by admin | | posted on 8th November 2025 in Quakers in 100 Objects | | views 110 | |
A vision of harmony between humans and animals, Edward Hicks' The Peaceable Kingdom captures a central Quaker longing for peace lived out in all creation.
The Peaceable Kingdom is a series of paintings created by Edward Hicks (1780-1849), a Quaker minister and self-taught folk artist from Pennsylvania. Deeply shaped by the Quaker testimony of peace, Hicks sought to express not just political or social harmony, but a spiritual ideal rooted in the biblical vision of Isaiah 11:6 - a world where “the wolf shall dwell with the lamb.”
As a minister in the Hicksite branch of Quakerism, Hicks believed that peace was not merely the absence of conflict, but a radical reordering of life based on divine love. His paintings became a way to preach this message visually, especially amid growing tension within the Religious Society of Friends during the early 19th century.
In each version of The Peaceable Kingdom, Hicks depicts animals that were once natural enemies - lion and ox, wolf and sheep - resting together in perfect harmony. This coexistence is not sentimental but deeply symbolic: it reflects the hoped-for transformation of human nature through The Spirit.
Often in the background, Hicks adds another scene: William Penn making a peace treaty with the Lenape (Delaware) people. This juxtaposition links the spiritual vision of peace with a historical moment when Quakers attempted to live out these ideals in the world. For Hicks, peace is always both inward and outward - a spiritual reality that demands ethical embodiment.
Though painted long before the modern animal rights movement, The Peaceable Kingdom has become a powerful emblem for those who see peace as extending beyond the human realm. By portraying animals not as resources or threats but as companions in a shared creation, Hicks anticipates a vision of kindness and mutual respect that resonates with today’s animal welfare advocates.
In the context of Quaker witness, the painting offers more than lovely imagery - it invites reflection on how our treatment of animals mirrors our treatment of one another. To strive for peace is to strive for peace in all directions.
Edward Hicks’ work, especially The Peaceable Kingdom, was instrumental in elevating American folk art in the eyes of collectors, historians, and museums. As interest in so-called outsider art grew during the 20th century, Hicks' paintings came to represent a distinctively American spiritual and artistic voice.
Beyond the art world, the imagery was embraced by peace, ecology, and interfaith movements that responded to its vision of coexistence and shared life. Hicks’ message travelled well outside Quakerism, even among viewers unaware of his faith background.
The serene animals and gentle composition also led to the artwork’s inclusion in children’s books, religious education material, and peace curricula. For many, the piece became an early visual teaching tool for imagining a gentler world.
In the American context especially, the pairing of biblical imagery with William Penn’s treaty has been interpreted as part of broader national storytelling - where peace and justice serve as moral ideals, even when not fully lived out. Hicks’ work thus occupies a unique space between faith, myth, and social conscience.
The version pictured is from 1834 and is held by the National Gallery of Art in Washington. It's this version that is arguably regarded as the 'peak' of the series - both in technical achievement and composition of imagery.
