Religion - Overview
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.
"Religion - Overview" showing 30 items.
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Niño Jesús
- Description
- Jesus Christ is represented in a variety of forms in Catholic art and devotion, one of the most familiar being the scene of his crucifixion. Almost as frequently, Christ is shown as an infant, often being held by his mother, the Virgin Mary. This wooden figure of El Niño Jesús, the Christ Child, is from the late 19th century.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Date made
- Late 19th century
- ID Number
- 1997.0097.0035
- accession number
- 1997.0097
- catalog number
- 1997.0097.0035
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
The All-Powerful Hand
- Description
- The ancient symbol of a protective hand is common to Christians, Jews, and Muslims. This figure, the Mano Poderosa or All-Powerful Hand, from the late 1800s, is a specifically Catholic version of its Roman predecessor. The five small figures atop the fingers are: Baby Jesus on the thumb; St. Joseph on the index finger; the Virgin Mary on the middle finger; St. Joachim (Mary's father) on the fourth finger; and St. Anne (Mary's mother) on the pinkie.
- Date made
- late 19th century
- maker
- Caban Group
- Caban Group
- ID Number
- 1997.0097.0225
- catalog number
- 1997.0097.0225
- accession number
- 1997.0097
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Amuleto en Forma de Espada
- Description
- This 20th century protective amulet takes the form of a sword. Amulets like this are worn with the belief that they ward off evil, danger, or bad luck, and provide strength and reassurance to the wearer.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Date made
- 20th century
- ID Number
- 1997.0097.0325
- accession number
- 1997.0097
- catalog number
- 1997.0097.0325
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
St. Raymond Nonnatus
- Description
- San Ramón Nonato is associated with secrets and silence. He is the patron saint of both victims of gossip and women in labor. Born in Catalonia in the early 13th century, his mother died in labor and he was surgically removed from her womb. He was an ardent and persecuted Christian missionary in North Africa. To stop him from converting others to Christianity, his lips were pierced with a hot iron and clamped shut with a lock.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Date made
- n.d.
- ID Number
- 1997.0097.0403
- catalog number
- 1997.0097.0403
- accession number
- 1997.0097
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Our Lady of Solitude (?)
- Description
- This figure is probably the Virgen de la Soledad. The title of Our Lady of Solitude is attributed to her faith-filled vigil on Holy Saturday, as she awaited the resurrection of her son, Jesus Christ.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Date made
- 20th century
- late 19th - 20th century
- ID Number
- 1997.0097.0459
- catalog number
- 1997.0097.0459
- accession number
- 1997.0097
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria
- Description
- This wooden figure of La Virgen de la Candelaria was made by Genaro Rivera in the town of Morovis in the early 1900s. This saint is especially popular in Puerto Rican cultural traditions and folk religion. Many of the first settlers to Puerto Rico came originally from the Canary Islands, bringing with them their patron saint, the Virgen de la Candelaria, the Virgin of Candlemas.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Date made
- 1861-12-10-1941-12-14
- maker
- Rivera Aviles, Genaro
- Rivera Aviles, Genaro
- ID Number
- 1997.0097.0544
- catalog number
- 1997.0097.0544
- accession number
- 1997.0097
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
San José
- Description
- This figure of Saint Joseph, the earthly father of Jesus Christ, was carved by Genaro Rivera in the town of Morovis at the turn of the 20th century. Several of the milagros attached to this saint are in the shape of legs.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Date made
- 1861-12-10-1941-12-14
- maker
- Rivera Aviles, Genaro
- ID Number
- 1997.0097.0619
- accession number
- 1997.0097
- catalog number
- 1997.0097.0619
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
San Antonio de Padua
- Description
- St. Anthony of Padua is one of the most venerated saints in Puerto Rico. According to Catholic tradition, he was miraculously visited by the Infant Jesus, and is commonly referred to as the "finder of lost articles." This figure is an early example of a santo from the 18th century.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Date made
- 18th century
- depicted
- Saint Anthony of Padua
- ID Number
- 1997.0097.0635
- accession number
- 1997.0097
- catalog number
- 1997.0097.0635
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Santiago Matamoros
- 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.
- 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
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
San Sebastián
- Description
- Saint Sebastian was an early Christian martyr who, according to legend, was tied to a tree, shot with arrows, and left for dead. He not only recovered, but returned to preaching Christianity. For this, the Roman emperor Diocletian ordered him beaten to death. He is almost always represented tied to a post and shot with arrows, thus making him instantly recognizable.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Date made
- late 19th-early 20th century
- ID Number
- 1997.0097.0696
- accession number
- 1997.0097
- catalog number
- 1997.0097.0696
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center