Armchair
c. 1936
Medium
pen and ink and graphite on paper
Dimensions
overall: 22.3 x 28.2 cm (8 3/4 x 11 1/8 in.) Original IAD Object: 37"high, 24"wide, 19"deep.
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.4232
Art Historical Context
This delicate pen-and-ink and graphite drawing the elegant form of an American armchair, rendered with meticulous attention to line and proportion. Created around 1936 by artist Lorenz Rothkranz, the work measures over 8 by 11 inches and serves a precise record of an original chair that stood 37 inches high, 24 inches wide, and 19 inches deep. Through careful shading and contour, Rothkranz translates the wooden frame and upholstered seat into a clear, study-like image suitable for documentation. The drawing belongs to the Index of American Design, a New Deal-era project that employed hundreds...