The artwork titled “Peaceable Kingdom” was created by Edward Hicks in 1844. It belongs to the Naïve Art (Primitivism) movement and is classified as a religious painting. This piece is part of Edward Hicks’ renowned series also titled “Peaceable Kingdom.”
In the artwork, a variety of animals, including a lion, an ox, and a leopard, are depicted in a pastoral setting, coexisting peacefully with young children, embodying an idyllic vision of harmony in nature. The scene is framed by vibrant foliage in autumnal hues on the left and darker forest vegetation on the right. The horizon stretches into a serene landscape, where another group of figures, dressed in period attire, appears engaged in conversation. This juxtaposition of humans and animals in a state of tranquil coexistence symbolizes the artist’s vision of a harmonious world, deeply influenced by religious themes. The composition is balanced, with the central focus on the diverse assortment of animals, each rendered with a sense of calm and majesty, contributing to the utopian narrative envisioned by Hicks.
