Candlestick
Medium
Tin
Dimensions
H. 6 in. (15.2 cm); Diam. 3 5/8 in. (9.2 cm)
Classification
Candlestick
Culture
American, Shaker
Department
The American Wing
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Friends of the American Wing Fund, 1966
Accession Number
66.10.31
Art Historical Context
This elegant tin candlestick, crafted by members of the United Society ofievers in Christ’s Secondaring—better known as the Shakersdates to between 1820 and 1860. Standing just 6 inches tall with a 3⅝-inch diameter base, its modest scale and gleaming metal surface exemplify the Shakers' commitment to functional beauty. Produced in their communal workshops across New England and the Midwest, such everyday objects were essential for illuminating the simple, orderly lives of Shaker villages. The Shakers, a celibate Christian sect founded in 18th-century England and flourishing in America, embrac...