Candle Holder

Art Historical Context

In the heart of the Great Depression, artist Gerald Bernhardt created this meticulous graphite drawing of a *Candle Holder* around 1936 as part of the Index of Design (IAD), a groundbreaking Works Progress Administration (WPA project. Spanning 1935 to 1942, the IAD employed hundreds of artists across the U.S. document everyday American objects—from folk crafts to industrial designs—through precise, colorful renderings. Bernhardt, based in Washington, D.C., contributed numerous detailed studies of decorative arts, capturing the elegance of a 14-inch-high candle holder that measured 7½ inches wide. Rendered in graphite on paper (30.6 x 23.3 cm), Bernhardt's technique emphasizes fine lines and subtle shading to highlight the object's form, texture, and functionality. This drawing exemplifies the IAD's mission to celebrate America's diverse design heritage, preserving cultural artifacts that might otherwise fade from view. Housed in the National Gallery of Art's collection (Department CG-W), it invites us to appreciate how simple household items embodied craftsmanship and ingenuity during challenging times. Today, this work reminds visitors of the WPA's role in fostering artistic talent while safeguarding national identity, turning a humble candle holder into a window on 20th-century American life.