Candlestick
c. 1936
Medium
graphite on paperboard
Dimensions
overall: 28.8 x 23 cm (11 5/16 x 9 1/16 in.) Original IAD Object: 6 1/2" high; 3 1/2" wide
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.9113
Art Historical Context
In the heart of the Great Depression, the Index of American Design (IAD)—a Works Progress Administration (WPA project from 1935 to 1942—commissioned artists to create meticulous renderings of everyday American objects, preserving the nation's folk art and craftsmanship for future generations. Joseph Wolins *Candlestick* (c. 1936), a graphite drawing on paperboard, exemplifies this effort. Measuring 28.8 x 23 cm, it captures a modest original object just 6½ inches high and 3½ inches wide, transforming a simple utilitarian item into a study of form, proportion, and subtle texture through fine pe...