Andiron (one of pair)
c. 1938
Medium
graphite on paperboard
Dimensions
overall: 39.5 x 27.3 cm (15 9/16 x 10 3/4 in.) Original IAD Object: 17 1/2" high, 11 3/4" wide
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.8254
Art Historical Context
**Andiron (one of a)**, a meticulous graphite drawing on paperboard by Maurice Van (c. 1938), captures the elegant form of a traditional American andiron. Measuring 39.5 x 27.3 cm, this work depicts an original object standing 17½ inches high and 11 inches wide, likely crafted from metal to support burning logs in hear. Van Felix's precise lines highlight the andiron's functional beauty, a staple of colonial and early American homes where open fireplaces were central to daily life. Created as part of the Index of American Design (IAD), a landmark WPA Federal Art Project from the 1930s, this d...
About the Artist
Maurice Van Felix
Maurice Van Felix was born on March 16, 1889, in Łódź, Poland, and later became a prominent figure in American art circles after immigrating to the United States. His early training took place in Poland and France, where he honed his skills as a painter and etcher before settling in Brooklyn, New York, by 1919. Though details of his formal education remain sparse, Van Felix quickly established him...