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.

1922 Clarkesville Reformed Church Embroidered Counterpane

This redwork embroidered counterpane was most likely made as a fund raiser for the Clarksville Reformed Church. It is dedicated to “Rev. Boyce Pastor.
Description
This redwork embroidered counterpane was most likely made as a fund raiser for the Clarksville Reformed Church. It is dedicated to “Rev. Boyce Pastor. Peggy His wife, Rex Their dog.” According to further inscriptions on the quilt, the occasion was the “Clarksville Reformed Church Fair Dec. 8th 1922.”
A twelve-petal daisy is the motif of the forty-eight blocks, the petals providing spaces for over 500 embroidered names. First, the names were written in pencil, and then embroidered with red cotton. In a few instances, a different name is embroidered over the original penciled name. One block utilized the spaces for advertising: “Priced / Lowest / The / Transportation / Economical / Motor Cars / Chevrolet / Wright / Gardner / Automobile / Equipped / Fully.” Presumably a small donation, maybe ten or twenty-five cents, assured one’s name embroidered on the counterpane. Further funds may have been secured by a raffle at the December fair. Or it may have been given to Pastor Boyce as a token of appreciation. Quilts or counterpanes such as this are still used, as they have been for more than 150 years, to raise funds for worthy causes.
The Clarksville Reformed Church was established in 1853, when a building was erected to serve the congregation. Sadly, this church was destroyed by fire on a cold February Sunday in 1912. The congregation rallied to rebuild and less then a year later, in January 1913, they were able to hold services in a new church. Clarksville in the 1920s, when this counterpane was made, was a small village in Albany County, New York. Reverend Boyce was the pastor for the Clarksville Reformed Church from 1919 to 1926 and also the Reformed Church in Westerlo, New York. In the 1950s Clarksville was still a small village and it became increasingly difficult to support the church. Another church in Clarksville, the Methodist Episcopal Church, also faced similar problems, and the solution was to merge the two. By the mid-1960s, a new church was dedicated whose sign incorporates the two bells from the older churches, symbolizing the origins of the new Clarksville Community Church.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1922
maker
unknown
ID Number
1995.0011.02
accession number
1995.0011
catalog number
1995.0011.02

Saint Michael and the Devil

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1965
maker
Lopez, George T.
Lopez, George T.
ID Number
CL.276185.1-6
accession number
276185
catalog number
276185.01-06
276185.01

KRSCANSKO DEVISTVO

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1894
ID Number
CL.298628.01
accession number
298628
catalog number
298628.01

crucifix

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
ID Number
2000.0002.132
accession number
2000.0002
catalog number
2000.0002.132

crucifix

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
ID Number
2000.0002.134
accession number
2000.0002
catalog number
2000.0002.134

Map of Canada

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1703
maker
L'Isle, Guillaume de
engraver
Guerard, Jr., Nicolas
ID Number
GA.24330
accession number
251,493

The Stoning of St. Stephen

Engraving after painting formerly attributed to Eustache Le Sueur once in the Salon at Houghton Hall, Norfolk, England. Now in the State Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg, attributed provisionally to Thomas Gousse. Print removed from George P.
Description
Engraving after painting formerly attributed to Eustache Le Sueur once in the Salon at Houghton Hall, Norfolk, England. Now in the State Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg, attributed provisionally to Thomas Gousse. Print removed from George P. Marsh’s copy of The Houghton Gallery, vol. 2.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1773
maker
A. B. & W. Transit Company
artist attribution
Le Sueur, Eustache
publisher
Boydell, John
engraver
Aliamet, Francois Germain
ID Number
1978.0534.03.40
accession number
1978.0534
catalog number
1978.0534.03.40

Shofar

This shofar was made by an unknown maker, provenance and date unkown. It is made of an animal horn decorated with a string of colored glass rings.Currently not on view
Description
This shofar was made by an unknown maker, provenance and date unkown. It is made of an animal horn decorated with a string of colored glass rings.
Location
Currently not on view
ID Number
MI.65.0632
accession number
1991.0406
catalog number
65.0632

Prescription Label, Lowen Apotheke in Landshut

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
ID Number
1991.0664.1140
catalog number
1991.0664.1140
accession number
1991.0664

Joh. Leonhardus Stoeberlein

Engraving by Wolfgang Philip Kilian of Johhan Leonhardus Stoeberlein (1636-1696), an apothecary in Nuremberg. He was the son of Wolfgang Stoeberlein.Currently not on view
Description
Engraving by Wolfgang Philip Kilian of Johhan Leonhardus Stoeberlein (1636-1696), an apothecary in Nuremberg. He was the son of Wolfgang Stoeberlein.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1700
depicted
Stoeberlein, Johhan Leonhardus
ID Number
1991.0664.0058
accession number
1991.0664
catalog number
M-06204
collector/donor number
SAP 897

Saint Theodore

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
nineteenth century
original artist
Muller, Andreas
publisher
Verein zur Verbreitung religioser Bilder in Dusseldorf
graphic artist
Stang, Rudolf
ID Number
GA.14233.31
accession number
94830
catalog number
14233.31

medal

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
ID Number
2000.0002.018
accession number
2000.0002
catalog number
2000.0002.018

Prescription Label, Apotheke in Grasfrath von G Schnable

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
ID Number
1991.0664.1156
catalog number
1991.0664.1156
accession number
1991.0664

medal

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
ID Number
2000.0002.035
accession number
2000.0002
catalog number
2000.0002.035

Hanukkah Lamp

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
ca 1650 - 1699
ID Number
CL.313932.01
accession number
313932
catalog number
313932.01

The Shepherd's Offering

Engraving, stipple and roulette, within octagonal border; after painting attributed to Guido Reni.
Description
Engraving, stipple and roulette, within octagonal border; after painting attributed to Guido Reni. As explained in the text below the image, this print was made from a version of the painting in the collection of the Rt Revd Thomas Newton, Lord Bishop of Bristol, because the Reni painting in the Houghton Collection had been sent to Russia before a preparatory drawing could be made. Print removed from George P. Marsh’s copy of The Houghton Gallery, vol. 2. Marsh probably wrote the numeral 48 in pencil in the lower right corner. SI Secretary's library stamp embossed at lower left below image.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1783
originator (author or composer, etc.)
Reni, Guido
original artist
Reni, Guido
delineator
Boydell, Josiah
publisher
Boydell, John
engraver
Michel, Jean Baptiste
ID Number
1978.0534.03.50
accession number
1978.0534
catalog number
1978.0534.03.50

Prescription Label, Hofapotheke in Braunfels von Carl Hagen

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
ID Number
1991.0664.1299
catalog number
1991.0664.1299
accession number
1991.0664

A Street Altar

"A Street Altar No. 50" handwritten on recto;Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
"A Street Altar No. 50" handwritten on recto;
Location
Currently not on view
date made
late 1800s
ID Number
2012.3033.0116
nonaccession number
2012.3033
catalog number
2012.3033.0116

Jewish Military Bible

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1918
ID Number
CL.302600
catalog number
302600
accession number
62178

AGADA DE PESAH, (/) EN HEBRAICO Y ESPANOL...JUDIOS, ESPANOLES, Y PORTUGUEZES...

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
ID Number
CL.217678
accession number
39909
catalog number
217678

Ruins of Texas Mission

two men at left in slacks, white shirts, vests and hats; stone building with steeple at center topped with a cross; carving over main entryway is crumbly but once very intricate and ornateCurrently not on view
Description (Brief)
two men at left in slacks, white shirts, vests and hats; stone building with steeple at center topped with a cross; carving over main entryway is crumbly but once very intricate and ornate
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1850s-1860s
ID Number
2012.3033.0045
nonaccession number
2012.3033
catalog number
2012.3033.0045

Map of the Pilgrim's Progress

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
c. 1850
date made
ca 1800
graphic artist
Melish, John
ID Number
1985.0303.05
accession number
1985.0303
catalog number
1985.0303.05

Holy Bible

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1797
inscribed date
1821
ID Number
DL.033663B
catalog number
33663B
accession number
70138

decoration, holiday

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1936 - 1941
ID Number
1987.0160.21D
accession number
1987.0160
catalog number
1987.0160.21D

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