Writing Box
1825–60
Medium
Chestnut
Dimensions
11.5 × 46.4 × 32.5 cm (4 1/2 × 18 1/4 × 12 3/4 in.)
Classification
desk
Department
Arts of the Americas
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
71948
Art Historical Context
Nestled in the Art Institute of Chicago's Arts of the collection, this unassuming Writing Box, crafted by Shaker hands between 1825 and 1860, embodies the essence of Shaker ingenuity. Made from chestnut—a durable, native American hardwood prized for its strength and subtle grain—this portable desk measures a compact 11.5 × 46.4 × 32.5 cm, perfect for traveling missionaries or community members jotting letters, keeping ledgers, or studying scripture. The Shakers, a celibate religious sect flourishing in communal villages across the northeastern U.S., rejected worldly excess in favor of spiritua...