Architectural elements from a Retiring Room in the North Family Dwelling American, New Lebanon, New York

Art Historical Context

These architectural elements, crafted from wood 1830–1840, once formed part of a retiring room in the North Family Dwelling at the Shaker community in New Lebanon, New York. Created by members of the United Society of Believers in Christ’s Second Appearing—commonly known as the Shakers—these fragments reflect the group’s deep commitment to communal living, spiritual order, and daily simplicity. The Shakers, who flourished in the nineteenth century across the Northeast, designed their spaces to support a life of prayer, work, and equality with every detail serving both practical and devotional ...