Medium
Maple, pine
Dimensions
71 x 30 x 31 in. (180.3 x 76.2 x 78.7 cm)
Classification
Bedstead
Culture
American, Shaker
Department
The American Wing
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Purchase, Anonymous Gift, 1981
Accession Number
1981.226
Art Historical Context
This bedstead, crafted by members of the United Society of Believers in Christ’s Second Appearing—commonly known as the Shakers—between 1830 and 1860, exemplifies the community’s distinctive approach to furniture making. The Shakers, a religious group that flourished in nineteenth-century America, valued simplicity, utility, and honest craftsmanship as expressions of their faith. Their designs rejected ornate decoration in favor of clean lines and practical forms that supported communal living. Made from sturdy maple and pine, the bedstead reflects the Shakers’ resourceful use of local woods ...