Chest-on-Chest

Art Historical Context

This vibrant rendering of a *Chest-on-Chest*, created by Lorenz Rothkranz around1938, captures the of an 18th-century American furniture. Measuring 53.8 x 45.3 cm, the work employs a meticulous mixed-media technique—watercolor for rich hues, colored pencil for fine textures, pen and ink for outlines, and graphite for shading—on paperboard. These methods allowed Rothkranz to recreate the original object's imposing scale (78 1/2 inches high, 42 3/8 inches wide, and 21 1/4 inches deep), highlighting its stacked drawers, ornate moldings, and Queen Anne-style proportions typical of colonial cabinetry. As part of the Index of American Design (IAD), a Federal Art Project under the Works Progress Administration during the Great Depression, this artwork served a vital cultural mission. Launched in 1935, the IAD commissioned over 15,000 artists to document everyday American folk art and design through precise, colorful illustrations, preserving regional heritage amid economic hardship. Rothkranz's contribution underscores the chest-on-chest's significance as a symbol of early American craftsmanship, blending English influences with practical Yankee ingenuity. Housed in the National Gallery of Art's collection, this piece invites visitors to appreciate not just the furniture's form, but the artistic ingenuity that safeguarded it for future generations.

About the Artist

Lorenz Rothkranz · 1855–present

Lorenz Rothkranz (1898–1970) was an American artist best known for his meticulous contributions to the Index of American Design, a Federal Art Project under the Works Progress Administration (WPA) during the Great Depression. Born on April 10, 1898, in Manhattan, New York, Rothkranz captured the essence of early American folk art and decorative objects through highly detailed watercolor renderings...