Chest of Drawers

Art Historical Context

**Chest of Drawers** by Norma Lockwood, created around 1939, captures the elegant simplicity of an American furniture piece measuring 46 inches high and 43 inches wide. detailed rendering belongs to the *Index of American Design*, monumental WPA Federal Art Project from the Great Depression era (1935–1942). Lockwood, one of over 400 artists involved, meticulously documented everyday objects like this chest to celebrate and preserve the nation's folk and decorative arts heritage, reflecting regional craftsmanship and everyday life. Rendered in watercolor, colored pencil, and graphite on paper (35 x 26.3 cm), the work showcases Lockwood's skill in blending fluid washes for depth and texture with precise lines for architectural accuracy. These mixed-media techniques allowed artists to evoke the wood grains, hardware, and proportions of original pieces, making the index a vital visual archive when many artifacts were at risk of loss. Today, housed in the National Gallery of Art's collection, this drawing highlights the cultural importance of American design—bridging utility and artistry in an era of economic hardship. It invites us to appreciate how ordinary furniture embodied the ingenuity and aesthetic sensibilities of its makers.