Religion

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.

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
ID Number
2012.0203.0088
accession number
2012.0203
catalog number
2012.0203.0088
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1927
maker
Bairstow, Herbert
ID Number
PG.003946.02
accession number
115163
catalog number
3946.02
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1943
maker
Associated Press
ID Number
2013.0327.0811
accession number
2013.0327
catalog number
2013.0327.0811
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1930-01-09
maker
Bucher, William F.
ID Number
1986.0711.0218
catalog number
1986.0711
1986.0711.0218
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1941
ID Number
PG.004241D
accession number
161764
catalog number
4241D
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1890-1914
maker
Gallaher, L. Bernie
ID Number
PG.003309
accession number
57227
catalog number
3309
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
maker
Falk, Sam
ID Number
PG.69.99.040
accession number
281224
catalog number
69.99.40
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1920s
maker
Keighley, Alexander
ID Number
PG.004887
accession number
198282
catalog number
4887
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1920-1927
maker
Petrocelli, Joseph
ID Number
PG.006024.23
accession number
224379
catalog number
6024.23
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
maker
Peale, Titian Ramsay
ID Number
PG.66.22.09
accession number
263090
catalog number
66.22.09
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1890-1914
maker
Gallaher, L. Bernie
ID Number
PG.003307
accession number
57227
catalog number
3307
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1880s
maker
Jackson, William Henry
ID Number
PG.006026A
accession number
224482
catalog number
6026A
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1926-03
maker
Petrocelli, Joseph
ID Number
PG.003844.02
accession number
96918
catalog number
3844.2
Paper Negative by Charles Negre, printed by Andre Jammes. Black and white image of a large stone church with large circular stained glass window in the center and an empty courtyard our front.Currently not on view
Description
Paper Negative by Charles Negre, printed by Andre Jammes. Black and white image of a large stone church with large circular stained glass window in the center and an empty courtyard our front.
Location
Currently not on view
maker
Negre, Charles
ID Number
PG.66.63.079
catalog number
66.63.79
accession number
265102
Daguerreotype of Unitarian Congregational Church, New York City. On the Washington Square campus of the New York University, Samuel F.B. Morse and Dr. John W. Draper operated together one of the first American photographic studios for a short time, from 1839 to the early 1840s.
Description
Daguerreotype of Unitarian Congregational Church, New York City. On the Washington Square campus of the New York University, Samuel F.B. Morse and Dr. John W. Draper operated together one of the first American photographic studios for a short time, from 1839 to the early 1840s. Collaborating on this quarter-plate daguerreotype, the partners achieved a clear photograph of the Unitarian Congregational Church of the Messiah, on the east side of Broadway across Waverly Place, New York City, from their rooftop studio in the fall of 1839 or winter of 1840. Morse quickly refocused his professional career on the perfection of a working telegraph, while Dr. Draper continued to work in scientific photography with his sons for the remainder of his academic career at the University.
Curatorial Note 10.24.2013: It may be contested that this image is taken from a rooftop because so much of the street is visible. It can be argued that the camera was at ground level. stp
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1839-1840
photographer
Draper, John William
ID Number
PG.72.72.B155
catalog number
72.72.B155
accession number
304826
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
early 1920s
maker
Leighton, J. Harold
ID Number
PG.003910
catalog number
3910
accession number
109721
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
maker
Negre, Charles
ID Number
PG.66.63.077
catalog number
66.63.77
accession number
265102
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1860
ID Number
PG.66.24.30
catalog number
66.24.30
accession number
263090
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca1890s
maker
Ives, Frederick Eugene
ID Number
PG.003677
catalog number
3677
accession number
71052
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1920
maker
Astrella, Louis
ID Number
PG.003411
accession number
67272
catalog number
3411
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1880s
maker
Jackson, William Henry
ID Number
PG.006026D
accession number
224482
catalog number
6026D
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1880s
maker
Jackson, William Henry
ID Number
PG.006026B
accession number
224482
catalog number
6026B
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1926-04
maker
Petrocelli, Joseph
ID Number
PG.003844.01
accession number
96918
catalog number
3844.1
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
maker
Negre, Charles
ID Number
PG.66.63.082
catalog number
66.63.82
accession number
265102

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