Box with Lid
c. 1936
Medium
oil paint on paperboard
Dimensions
overall: 30.6 x 37.9 cm (12 1/16 x 14 15/16 in.)
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.15210
Art Historical Context
**Box with Lid** by Max Soltmann created around 1936, captures the charm of American craftsmanship in oil on paperboard, measuring 30.6 x 37.9 cm. This intimate work depicts a lidded box, rendered with meticulous detail that highlights its form, texture, and subtle decorative elements—hallmarks of everyday American design objects from earlier eras. As part of the *Index of American Design*, Federal Art Project under the Works Progress Administration (WPA) during the Great Depression, Soltmann's painting served a vital cultural mission. Launched in 1935, the Index commissioned artists across t...