Chest of Drawers
c. 1939
Medium
watercolor, colored pencil, pen and ink on paperboard
Dimensions
overall: 54.8 x 62.5 cm (21 9/16 x 24 5/8 in.) Original IAD Object: 40 13/16"high; 43 5/16"wide; 18 1/16"deep.
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.4699
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...
About the Artist
Ferdinand Cartier
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...