Chest of Drawers

Art Historical Context

In the late 1930s, artist Ferdinand Cartier created this meticulous rendering of a classic American chest of drawers as part of the Index of American Design, a landmark WPA Federal Art Project (1935–1942). Amid the Great Depression, this initiative employed artists to document everyday objects of American material culture through vibrant, detailed watercolor studies, preserving regional craftsmanship for future generations. Cartier's work captures a substantial piece—originally about 40 inches high, 43 inches wide, and 18 inches deep—likely exemplifying early 20th-century or earlier vernacular furniture design, with its functional form evoking colonial or Federal styles common in American homes. Executed in watercolor, colored pencil, pen, and ink on paperboard (54.8 x 62.5 cm), the piece showcases the Index artists' signature precision: fine ink lines delineate wood grains and hardware, while layered watercolors and pencils convey rich tones and subtle textures. This mixed-media technique allowed for photorealistic accuracy, making the rendering both an artistic achievement and a scholarly tool. Housed in the National Gallery of Art, it highlights how such documentation celebrated America's democratic design heritage, bridging fine art with cultural history for everyday appreciation.

About the Artist

Ferdinand Cartier · 1892–1987

Ferdinand Cartier is an artist whose historical record remains limited. No confirmed birth or death dates have been established, and his national origin and training background are not documented in surviving sources, making it difficult to place him within any specific artistic tradition or school. Cartier's presence in museum collections, with close to fifty works attributed to him, points to a...