Edward Hicks

Art research papers can examine contemporary artists such as Edward Hicks. Hicks can be written about according to his talented works of art or looking at his life influences and biographical information. Either way, get help writing a research paper on Edward Hicks or any of his works.

In the earliest days of the United States, the art of record would come to be folk art; this type of art told the story of the American experience in the simpler, calmer moments that passed. One of the most famous artists to create pieces in this genre was Edward Hicks, a prominent minister in the Society of Friends, or Quakers. His paintings would bring him great fame, allowing him to become one of the most well-known members of Quaker society.

Hicks found he had great promise in decorative painting, or painting homes and coaches for aesthetic purposes. However, this practice was in sharp contrast to the traditionally plain lifestyles that Quakers were expected to maintain, causing him great financial hardships as he struggled to find a means of supporting his family that coupled his skills and his interests. Ultimately, he continued to sustain his family through decorative painting with many of his canvas paintings being gifted to family and friends.

Hicks' paintings embody peace and tranquility; his first painting, "Peaceable Kingdom," for example, shows animals of all types resting calmly with one another. He would ultimately create more than five dozen variations of this image, each of which maintains the same central theme. Nearly all of his works are based in the outdoors, though the focus varies from one to the other. Some of his most famous works include the following:

• "Washington at the Delaware"
• "Noah's Ark"
• "Penn's Treaty"