Candlestick and Snuffer

Art Historical Context

**Candlestick and Snuffer** a meticulous graphite drawing by Yolandeasser, created around 1936. Measuring 28.7 × 22.5 cm on paper, this work captures the elegant simplicity of a traditional candlestick and its accompanying snuffer—a tool for trimming wicks and extinguishing candles. Rendered with fine precision, the piece highlights the subtle textures and functional beauty of these everyday household objects, evoking a bygone era of candlelit homes. As part of the *Index of American Design*, a groundbreaking New Deal project under the Works Progress Administration (WPA), this drawing belongs to a vast archive of over 15,000 renderings produced between 1935 and 1942. Artists like Delasser documented America's folk art, crafts, and decorative traditions, preserving cultural heritage amid the Great Depression. Graphite was favored for its ability to convey intricate details and tonal subtleties, making these studies invaluable references for designers, historians, and educators. Housed in the National Gallery of Art's collection, *Candlestick and Snuffer* exemplifies how ordinary items embody American ingenuity and craftsmanship. It invites us to appreciate the artistry in the utilitarian, bridging past domestic life with modern appreciation for design history.

About the Artist

Yolande Delasser · 1855–present

Yolande Delasser was an American artist active during the mid-1930s, best known for her meticulous contributions to the Index of American Design, a Federal Art Project under the Works Progress Administration (WPA). Amid the Great Depression, this ambitious New Deal initiative commissioned artists to document America's rich heritage of folk art and utilitarian objects through precise watercolor ren...