The Ephrata Group

W. W. Swallow, The Ephrata Group, 1930s-1940s, terra cotta on wood base, 18 ⁷⁄₈ x 10 ⁵⁄₈ x 10 ³⁄₈ in. (47.8 x 26.9 x 26.5 cm), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of International Business Machines Corporation, 1966.27.10

Artwork Details

Title: The Ephrata Group
Artist: W. W. Swallow
Date: 1930s-1940s
Location: Smithsonian American Art Museum
/
Luce Foundation Center
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4th Floor
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48A
Dimensions: 18 ⁷⁄₈ x 10 ⁵⁄₈ x 10 ³⁄₈ in. (47.8 x 26.9 x 26.5 cm)
Credit Line: Gift of International Business Machines Corporation
Mediums: wood
terra cotta
Mediums Description: terra cotta on wood base
Classifications: Sculpture
Subjects: Figure group
Religion
Object Number: 1966.27.10
Linked Open Data: https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/1966.27.10

Artwork Description

Ephrata is a settlement in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, that began as a monastic colony in the 1700s. Known then as the Ephrata Cloisters, the community was founded by Johann Conrad Beissel, a German preacher and writer of hymns. The Ephrata Group shows two women and two men, with bare feet and heavy clothing. The figures’ gestures and solemn expressions suggest a moment of worship or prayer.