Braided Rawhide-bottomed Chair
c. 1939
Medium
watercolor, colored pencil, pen and ink on paper
Dimensions
overall: 30.6 x 22.8 cm (12 1/16 x 9 in.) Original IAD Object: 15"high; 19"wide; 13"deep; 35" to top of back.
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.4423
Art Historical Context
Joe Brennan's *Braided Rawhide-bottom Chair* (c. 1939) is a meticulous rendering of a classic piece of American folk furniture, captured in watercolor, colored pencil,, and ink on paper (30.6 x 22.8 cm). This drawing faithfully reproduces the chair's sturdy form—originally 15 inches high, 19 inches wide,13 inches deep, with back rising to 35 inches—ing its woven rawhide seat and simple wooden frame. Such chairs evoke everyday craftsmanship from rural America, blending utility with regional aesthetics often seen in Southwestern or frontier designs. Created as part of the Index of American Desi...