Birmingham Meeting House in Summertime

Located a few miles north of Chadds Ford, the building shown here is an eighteenth-century Quaker Meeting House that also served as a shelter and temporary hospital for both George Washington’s and British forces during the Battle of Brandywine in 1777. Horace Pippin had been asked to submit a painting of the building as part of a celebration of the 250^th anniversary of the Quakers’ first meeting for worship in Birmingham Township. In response, Pippin created four versions of the subject, one for the celebration and three that were sold to local patrons of the artist. The Meeting House’s storied past and its connection to the Quakers—who were advocates for peace—likely resonated deeply with the war veteran whose paintings often reflected his interest in American history and the harrowing reality of war.

Pippin’s career was in full flight when he painted this work. His careful attention to the textures of quarried stone, tree bark and leaves—even as he simplified their forms—is characteristic of his self-taught style.