Ark of the Covenant c. 1865 - 1880

Erastus Salisbury Field made this oil on canvas painting, "Ark of the Covenant," sometime in the mid-19th century. Field was part of a generation grappling with America's religious identity and its expansionist ambitions. The painting shows an agricultural landscape where the biblical Ark is pulled on a cart by oxen, surrounded by figures who appear to be both observing and participating in the harvest. The depiction of a scene from the Old Testament set against a backdrop that seems distinctly American invites us to consider how biblical narratives were being reinterpreted in the context of 19th-century America. Notably, Field’s work diverges from traditional representations of biblical scenes. His use of common people and everyday settings infuses the sacred with the mundane, suggesting that the divine is not separate from daily life but interwoven with it. Field seems to be asking, "How do we understand our place in a narrative that is both deeply personal and profoundly historical?" This work encourages us to reflect on the relationship between faith, labor, and identity in a rapidly changing world.