Print, Relief

Description

Page 556 of The Graphic, May 14, 1870, "Shakers at Meeting. The Religious Dance." The illustration shows the Shakers performing a religious exercise called the Circle March in the meeting room in the dwelling house of the North Family, Mount Lebanon. In winter, meetings were held in the dwelling houses' meeting rooms rather than the monumental Meeting House due to the difficulty of heating the large space. In the foreground, pairs and groups of sisters and little girls are in a circular formation, moving with upraised hands, and several are kissing one another. Brethren, largely in shadows and indistinct, are in the background; the only brother whose face is clear stands at the center of the circles of Shakers, his hands raised. A visitors' account written in 1864 describes the Circle March: "In the marching three or four concentric circles are formed. The inner one, which is composed of singers, remains stationary, while the outer ones revolve in different directions, so that to one looking upon the scene from without, they seem involved beyond all possibility of extrication. In due time, however, the most perfect order comes out of the apparent confusion... The hugging and kissing transpired, as far as we saw, only between the sisters.... A brother expresses a desire to distribute his affections, and follows up his announcement by throwing out his hands in all directions, while others stretch forth theirs to receive the proffered gift."