Box Cradle
c. 1939
Medium
watercolor, colored pencil, and graphite on paperboard
Dimensions
overall: 35.7 x 45.5 cm (14 1/16 x 17 15/16 in.) Original IAD Object: 16"high; 19"wide; 2'11"long
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.5846
Art Historical Context
"Box Cradle," rendered by artist Mary Hansen around 1939, is a captivating watercolor, colored pencil, and graphite depiction on paperboard from the Index of American Design (IAD). This Federal Art Project, launched during the Great Depression as part of the Works Progress Administration (WPA), commissioned artists to document everyday American objects through precise, colorful renderings. Measuring 35.7 x 45.5 cm, Hansen's work faithfully captures a traditional wooden box cradle—originally 16 inches high, 19 inches wide, and nearly 3 feet long—highlighting its humble yet essential role in ear...