Built-in Drawers and Cupboards
c. 1938
Medium
watercolor and graphite on paper
Dimensions
overall: 25 x 30.3 cm (9 13/16 x 11 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
1943.8.16942
Art Historical Context
"Built-in Drawers andboards" is a meticulous rendering by artist Alfred H. Smith, around 1938 as part of the Index of American Design. This Federal Art Project, launched under the Works Progress Administration during the Great Depression, employed hundreds of artists to document America's rich heritage of folk art, crafts, and design through precise watercolor illustrations. Smith's work captures the functional elegance of early American cabinetry, highlighting built-in storage solutions that were staples in colonial and early federal homes. Executed in watercolor and graphite on paper (25 x ...
About the Artist
Alfred H. Smith
Alfred H. Smith was an American artist active from around 1935 to 1953, best known for his meticulous watercolor and graphite drawings documenting American folk and decorative arts. Little is known about his early life or formal training, as biographical details remain sparsely documented beyond his contributions to federal art initiatives. During the Great Depression, Smith participated in the In...