Periodical

Description

Vol. XXXVII No. 937 issue of Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper. The cover illustration is an engraving titled "Miss Nellie Grant." On page 10 is a long essay, "Why a Woman Joined the Shakers." On pages 12-14 are a short essay and six illustrations showing scenes from the Church and North Families of Mount Lebanon. On page 12 is a half-sheet engraving titled "The Shaker Ironing-Room." It shows a room in the Church Family Wash House. A conical iron-heating stove is at the left rear; one door is open, showing seven irons inside. Along the right and rear walls are long tables at which sisters and one girl fold linens. A sister at the center carries a basket of folded linens, and at the left a brother stands observing. The iron-heating stove shown is in the collection of Hancock Shaker Village. It can be seen here: https://hancockshakervillage.pastperfectonline.com/webobject/72E46235-C22E-4220-8979-922233860639. The brother seen standing at left appears to be supervising the work but was in fact the brother escorting Becker on his visit; he can also be seen in the engraving showing the retiring room (2020.16.37, 2020.16.38). On page 13 at top is an illustration titled "The Dining-Room of the North Family," which shows three long tables of sisters seated at benches along the right and at the foreground is a table of four seated brothers. At the center on the left is an illustration titled "The Girls' Clothes-Room in the Church Family," showing a small room with rows of peg rails on the walls on which are hung shoes, bonnets, neckerchiefs, and shawls or dresses; two sisters are present. At center right is an illustration titled "A Mender of Clothing of the Church Family," showing a sister seated at left mending a large garment or textile, a work desk before her and a small table laid with linens in the foreground. It is notable that her work desk stands on a platform to maximize natural light from the window. At bottom left is an illustration titled "The Kitchen of the Church Family," showing a large cook stove at center, a long sink along the left wall, a counter at the rear, and three sisters. The original sketch upon which the engraving was based is still extant. At bottom right is a small illustration titled "Cutting Bread," showing a sister cutting a loaf of bread using a chopping knife that pivots on an arm set into the table.

Notes

Becker visited the North and Church Families at Mount Lebanon in March of 1870. It was recorded in the Church Family record: "[March] 5 Sat.: One of the editors and one of the Artists of 'Leslie's Pictorial' of New York come here to make observations, take notes, make drawings, &c, &c, to publish concerning the Shakers." The engravings were not published until 1873, in a series of four installments over the course of ten months. The reason for the delay is not known, but it may have been in order to wait until more time had passed since the publication of Houghton's views of the Shakers in The Graphic in 1870.