Religion

Page from the Koran

One hallmark of the American experience captured in the Museum's collections is the nation's broad diversity of religious faiths. Artifacts range from Thomas Jefferson's Bible to a huge "Sunstone" sculpture carved for a Mormon temple in Illinois in 1844 to a household shrine from the home of a Pueblo Indian in the 1990s. Furniture, musical instruments, clothing, cooking ware, and thousands of prints and figures in the collections have all played roles in the religious lives of Americans. The most comprehensive collections include artifacts from Jewish and Christian European Americans, Catholic Latinos, Protestant Arab Americans, Buddhist and Christian Asian Pacific Americans, and Protestant African Americans. One notable group is the Vidal Collection of carved figures known as santos and other folk religious material from the practice of Santeria in Puerto Rico.

Date: 1900s

Magician Hand Puppet used by Rev. Hitchcock in Punch & Judy Show

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1890 - 1900
user
Hitchcock, William E.
ID Number
1981.0185.06
accession number
1981.0185
catalog number
1981.0185.06

“The Shepherd Boy”

This sheet music for the song "The Shepherd Boy" was written and composed by G. D. Wilson. The song was published by the Armstrong Music Co. of New York, New York in 1903.
Description
This sheet music for the song "The Shepherd Boy" was written and composed by G. D. Wilson. The song was published by the Armstrong Music Co. of New York, New York in 1903. The cover features an illustration of a shepherd boy sitting on rocks among sheep and doing his best to woo a girl.
Location
Currently not on view
publishing date
1903
composer
Wilson, G. D.
publisher
Armstrong Music Publishing Company
ID Number
1982.0439.30
accession number
1982.0439
catalog number
1982.0439.30

Saint Nicholas

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
19th Century
ID Number
CL.025819.156
accession number
25819
catalog number
025819.156

St. Arsenius

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1909
ID Number
NU.68.263.1749
catalog number
68.263.1749
accession number
281689

Prescription Label, Adler Apotheke bei With Kalker in Lobberich

The Bristol-Myers Squibb Collection has over two hundred early prescription labels from dozens of apothecaries across Germany and Austria. Early labels were plain and without adornment.
Description (Brief)
The Bristol-Myers Squibb Collection has over two hundred early prescription labels from dozens of apothecaries across Germany and Austria. Early labels were plain and without adornment. Later embellishments included decorative borders, images of animals such as stags, lions, or elephants associated with the name of the apothecary.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
19th century
ID Number
1991.0664.1180
catalog number
1991.0664.1180
accession number
1991.0664

The Vladimir Mother Of God

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
19th Century
ID Number
CL.025819.106
accession number
25819
catalog number
025819.106

LINEAR PRAYER BOOK

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1905
ID Number
1993.0102.016
catalog number
1993.0102.016
accession number
1993.0102

Taking Artillery Around the Mine Crater in the Road to Varennes

Charcoal sketch on paper. A large cross is surrounded by several smaller crosses, some bearing wreaths or ribbons, in the foreground. A group of soldiers is resting among the crosses. Some men appear to be eating.
Description
Charcoal sketch on paper. A large cross is surrounded by several smaller crosses, some bearing wreaths or ribbons, in the foreground. A group of soldiers is resting among the crosses. Some men appear to be eating. A group of soldiers, on foot and on horseback, ascend a small hill in the background. At the end of this procession is a large piece of artillery. On the right of the sketch is a crater; some soldiers are walking up and out of the depression while others are at work inside the crater.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1918-09
associated date
1917-1918
associated person
War Department
maker
Morgan, Wallace
ID Number
AF.25783
catalog number
25783
accession number
64592

Prescription Label, Adler Apotheke bei With Kalker in Lobberich

The Bristol-Myers Squibb Collection has over two hundred early prescription labels from dozens of apothecaries across Germany and Austria. Early labels were plain and without adornment.
Description (Brief)
The Bristol-Myers Squibb Collection has over two hundred early prescription labels from dozens of apothecaries across Germany and Austria. Early labels were plain and without adornment. Later embellishments included decorative borders, images of animals such as stags, lions, or elephants associated with the name of the apothecary.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
19th century
ID Number
1991.0664.1179
catalog number
1991.0664.1179
accession number
1991.0664

mug

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1880-1900
maker
Kockums
ID Number
CL.314563.08
accession number
314563
catalog number
314563.08

"What Hath God Wrought" Telegraph Message

Telegraph message, printed in Morse code, transcribed and signed by Samuel F. B. Morse.
Description
Telegraph message, printed in Morse code, transcribed and signed by Samuel F. B. Morse. This message was transmitted from Baltimore, Maryland, to Washington, D.C., over the nation's first long-distance telegraph line.
In 1843, Congress allocated $30,000 for Morse (1791-1872) to build an electric telegraph line between Washington and Baltimore. Morse and his partner, Alfred Vail (1807-1859), completed the forty-mile line in May 1844. For the first transmissions, they used a quotation from the Bible, Numbers 23:23: "What hath God wrought," suggested by Annie G. Ellsworth (1826-1900), daughter of Patent Commissioner Henry L. Ellsworth (1791-1858) who was present at the event on 24 May. Morse, in the Capitol, sent the message to Vail at the B&O Railroad's Pratt Street Station in Baltimore. Vail then sent a return message confirming the message he had received.
The original message transmitted by Morse from Washington to Baltimore, dated 24 May 1844, is in the collections of the Library of Congress. The original confirmation message from Vail to Morse is in the collections of the Connecticut Historical Society.
This tape, dated 25 May, is a personal souvenir transmitted by Vail in Baltimore to Morse in Washington the day following the inaugural transmissions. The handwriting on the tape is that of Morse himself. Found in Morse’s papers after his death the tape was donated to the Smithsonian in 1900 by his son Edward, where it has been displayed in many exhibitions.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1844-05-25
1844-05-24
associated date
1844-05-24
donated
1900-04-18
associated person
Morse, Samuel Finley Breese
maker
Morse, Samuel Finley Breese
ID Number
EM.001028
catalog number
001028
accession number
65555

Hand Fan

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
ca 1900
maker
Rau, W. H.
ID Number
CL.306787.38B
catalog number
306787.38B
accession number
306787

Prescription Label, Lowenapotheke von Dr. Ph.J. Hainz

The Bristol-Myers Squibb Collection has over two hundred early prescription labels from dozens of apothecaries across Germany and Austria. Early labels were plain and without adornment.
Description (Brief)
The Bristol-Myers Squibb Collection has over two hundred early prescription labels from dozens of apothecaries across Germany and Austria. Early labels were plain and without adornment. Later embellishments included decorative borders, images of animals such as stags, lions, or elephants associated with the name of the apothecary.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
19th century
ID Number
1991.0664.1124
catalog number
1991.0664.1124
accession number
1991.0664

64. The Cathedral, City of Mexico

date made
late 19th century
ID Number
2012.3033.4078
catalog number
2012.3033.4078
nonaccession number
2012.3033

Santiago Matamoros

This wooden santo represents Santiago Matamoros, or St. James the Moor Slayer. It was made by the Ramos family from the town of Aguada.
Description
This wooden santo represents Santiago Matamoros, or St. James the Moor Slayer. It was made by the Ramos family from the town of Aguada. Santiago Matamoros is the patron saint of Spain and provided spiritual inspiration for the Christian re-conquest of Iberia and the subsequent expulsion of Jews and Muslims. The legacy of this conflict between Christians and Muslims in Spain was transplanted to the Americas.
Description (Spanish)
Este santo de madera que representa a Santiago Matamoros fue tallado por la familia Ramos en el pueblo de Aguada. Santiago Matamoros es el santo patrón de España y fuente de inspiración de la reconquista cristiana de Iberia, con la consiguiente expulsión de judíos y musulmanes. Este legado de conflicto entre cristianos y musulmanes se trasladó luego desde España a las colonias de América.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1850-1904
maker
Ramos, Pepe
Ramos, Justina
Ramos, Jose
Ramos, Justina Torres de
ID Number
1997.0097.0650
accession number
1997.0097
catalog number
1997.0097.0650

Crucifixion Of Jesus Christ

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
19th Century
ID Number
CL.025819.003
accession number
25819
catalog number
025819.003

stamp, kosher

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1889 - 1905
ID Number
CL.005491
catalog number
5491
005491
accession number
1981.0126

American Church Bass

This bass was made by an unknown maker in New England, United States, early 19th century.
Description (Brief)

This bass was made by an unknown maker in New England, United States, early 19th century. It is an American church bass with a cherry colored stained wood body, neck of black stained wood, cherry colored stained wood pegbox and scroll with 4 friction pegs.

The modern term for this instrument is church bass. During the late 18th and early 19th centuries, this instrument was also known as the American bass viol, New England bass viol, or Yankee bass viol. These church basses were used in churches and meeting houses to provide a bass line for maintaining a consistent key by New England congregational singers. The church bass was also used by popular singing groups such as the Hutchinson Family singers.

Location
Currently not on view
date made
early 19th century
ID Number
2014.0181.02
catalog number
2014.0181.02
accession number
2014.0181

Prescription Label, Lowenapotheke von Dr. Ph.J. Hainz

The Bristol-Myers Squibb Collection has over two hundred early prescription labels from dozens of apothecaries across Germany and Austria. Early labels were plain and without adornment.
Description (Brief)
The Bristol-Myers Squibb Collection has over two hundred early prescription labels from dozens of apothecaries across Germany and Austria. Early labels were plain and without adornment. Later embellishments included decorative borders, images of animals such as stags, lions, or elephants associated with the name of the apothecary.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
19th century
ID Number
1991.0664.1126
catalog number
1991.0664.1126
accession number
1991.0664

Saint Sergius Of Radonezh

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
19th Century
ID Number
CL.025819.181
accession number
25819
catalog number
025819.181

Prescription Label, Adler Apotheke bei With Kalker in Lobberich

The Bristol-Myers Squibb Collection has over two hundred early prescription labels from dozens of apothecaries across Germany and Austria. Early labels were plain and without adornment.
Description (Brief)
The Bristol-Myers Squibb Collection has over two hundred early prescription labels from dozens of apothecaries across Germany and Austria. Early labels were plain and without adornment. Later embellishments included decorative borders, images of animals such as stags, lions, or elephants associated with the name of the apothecary.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
19th century
ID Number
1991.0664.1186
catalog number
1991.0664.1186
accession number
1991.0664

Prescription Label, Apotheke in Oberhausen

The Bristol-Myers Squibb Collection has over two hundred early prescription labels from dozens of apothecaries across Germany and Austria.Early labels were plain and without adornment.
Description (Brief)
The Bristol-Myers Squibb Collection has over two hundred early prescription labels from dozens of apothecaries across Germany and Austria.
Early labels were plain and without adornment. Later embellishments included decorative borders, images of animals such as stags, lions, or elephants associated with the name of the apothecary.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
19th century
ID Number
1991.0664.1313
accession number
1991.0664
catalog number
1991.0664.1313

Prescription Label, Adler Apotheke bei With Kalker in Lobberich

The Bristol-Myers Squibb Collection has over two hundred early prescription labels from dozens of apothecaries across Germany and Austria. Early labels were plain and without adornment.
Description (Brief)
The Bristol-Myers Squibb Collection has over two hundred early prescription labels from dozens of apothecaries across Germany and Austria. Early labels were plain and without adornment. Later embellishments included decorative borders, images of animals such as stags, lions, or elephants associated with the name of the apothecary.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
19th century
ID Number
1991.0664.1182
catalog number
1991.0664.1182
accession number
1991.0664

Devil Hand Puppet used by Rev. Hitchcock in Punch & Judy Show

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1890 - 1900
user
Hitchcock, William E.
ID Number
1981.0185.05
accession number
1981.0185
catalog number
1981.0185.05

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