Baby Cradle
Medium
watercolor, colored pencil, and graphite on paperboard
Dimensions
overall: 38 x 50.8 cm (14 15/16 x 20 in.) Original IAD Object: none given
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.4909
Art Historical Context
**Baby Cradle**, a meticulous rendering by artists Harley Kempter and Bruce Gentry around 1940, captures the gentle curves and intricate details of a traditional American baby cradle. Created using watercolor, colored pencil, and graphite on paperboard (measuring 38 x 50.8 cm), this work exemplifies the precision of mixed-media techniques employed to document everyday objects with lifelike accuracy. The subtle layering of colors and fine lines brings out the cradle's wood grain, joinery, and perhaps decorative motifs, evoking the warmth of family life in early American homes. This artwork hai...