Art Prints & Posters
by or about Friends (Quakers)

Edward Hicks

For the moment, all the prints we have available through our affiliate arrangement (but see bottom for some others from another source) are by Edward Hicks (1780-1849), a self-taught artist from Bucks County, Pennsylvania considered by many to be the greatest American folk artist. He was a popular and prominent Quaker minister, and was a traveling minister in Quaker meetings from Canada to Virginia. He was closely associated with his cousin, Elias Hicks, key figure in the 1827-28 schism that divided most of the Quaker yearly meetings in North America. However, Edward Hicks was greatly pained by the deep animosity among Friends resulting from this schism.

Despite his notable artistic gifts, Hicks was conflicted by his use of them. At the time, the arts were generally seen by Quakers as worldly indulgences. So many other Friends looked askance at his artistic work, and he gave it up for a time. Today, most Quakers accept the arts as ways God has given us to express ourselves.

The wolf will live with the lamb,
     the leopard will lie down with the goat,
the calf and the lion and the yearling together;
     and a little child will lead them.
The cow will feed with the bear,
     their young will lie down together,
     and the lion will eat straw like the ox.
The infant will play near the hole of the cobra,
     and the young child put his hand into the viper's nest.
They will neither harm nor destroy
     on all my holy mountain,
for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord
     as the waters cover the sea.
Isaiah 11:6-9 (NIV*)

Edward Hicks is best known for his paintings of The Peaceable Kingdom, based on this passage from scripture. He produced more than 60 paintings on this theme. His conception of the vision of Isaiah was based on a series of engravings by English artist Richard Westall, who produced a number of prints on this theme in England in the first fifteen years of the 19th century. Hicks imagery and composition in the paintings changed as he became increasingly disturbed at the dissension within the Quaker ranks. A number of printings of Hicks' paintings in this series are available.

Click on the thumbnail of each image to see a larger rendition and availability for purchase.

23 in. x 19 in.	31 in. x 28 in.	29 in. x 23 in.
22 in. x 18 in.	25 in. x 20 in.	23 in. x 18 in.

Click on the thumbnail of each image to see a larger rendition and availability for purchase.

20 in. x 18 in.	33 in. x 25 in.	29 in. x 27 in.
32 in. x 25 in.	29 in. x 27 in.	33 in. x 31 in. framed
39 in. x 35 in. framed

Friends United Press offers some prints, including the following classic Quaker ones:

Presence in the Midst

White Feather

None Shall Make Them Afraid

* New International Version © International Bible Society.