Collection in Focus: The Banners in Edward Hicks’s “A Peaceable Kingdom with Quakers Bearing…”

The banners surrounding the group of Quakers read “Mind the Light Within” / “It is Glad Tidings of Grate Joy” / “Peace on Earth and Goodwill to Men Every where.” These are words referring to Quaker beliefs of peace, equality, and the “inner Light,” which can be interpreted as the presence of God within each individual. These specific phrases are attributed to George Fox (1624–1691), who separated from the Christian faith and founded the Quaker denomination in England in the 1650s.

The banners perhaps also refer to the importance, but scarcity, of language at Quaker worship meetings, which are held in silence. This silence is only broken if someone feels deeply and spiritually moved to speak.

Sarah Monks, Lecturer in Art History at the University of East Anglia, explains the importance of the banners and in particular, the phrase “Mind the Light Within.”