The Architecture of the Shakers

By Julie Nicoletta and Bret Morgan

Book Overview

From Maine to Kentucky, they built communal villages whose unique buildings were designed to accommodate hundreds of inhabitants unified in the common purpose of work and worship. This work illustrates the beauty, regional variations, and functional stylistic evolution of Shaker buildings over the course of two centuries, evoking a visual and literary survey of Shaker design and its impact on American culture as a whole. Despite the fact that Shaker communities are almost extinct, an appreciation for their legacy continues to grow. Architects, designers, curators, collectors, and the public have sought inspiration in Shaker art and architecture. This book is for all those who wish to learn more about these remarkable buildings and how the rich cultural legacy of the Shakers continues to resonate within them.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0881503371
• ISBN13: 9780881503371
• Release Date: April 1996
• Publisher: Countryman Press
• Length: 176 Pages
• Weight: 2.10 lbs.
• Dimensions: 11.1" x 0.6" x 9.1"

Customer Reviews

Thorough and discerning

A thorough and discerning book. Nicoletta's matter-of-fact prose is a welcome antidote to the nostalgia and sentiment that creep into more reverential treatments of the Shakers. Like any other history, Shaker history turns out to be complex and messy, not simple and sweet. How interesting to see Shaker buildings of the Victorian era, with floral wallpapers, clunky furniture, and primitive telephones.

The definitive work on Shaker Architecture

Nicoletta's book is intelligently and clearly written and boasts Bret Morgan's gorgeous photographs of Shaker buildings. The only book on Shaker Architecture you will ever need--and the best. Michael Kucher