Child's Rocking Chair
1935/1942
Medium
watercolor and graphite on paper
Dimensions
overall: 30.2 x 42.5 cm (11 7/8 x 16 3/4 in.) Original IAD Object: 33" long
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.7823
Art Historical Context
In the heart of the Index of American Design, a Federal Art Project from the Works Progress Administration (WPA) during the Great Depression, Alfred H. Smith's *Child's Rocking Chair* (1935/1942) captures the charm of everyday American craftsmanship. This watercolor and graphite rendering on paper, measuring 30.2 x 42.5 cm, meticulously documents a diminutive rocking chair originally 33 inches long—perfectly scaled for a child. Smith's precise technique blends soft watercolor washes for wood grain and shadows with graphite lines for sharp contours, evoking the tactile warmth of heirloom furnit...
About the Artist
Alfred H. Smith
Alfred H. Smith was an American artist active from around 1935 to 1953, best known for his meticulous watercolor and graphite drawings documenting American folk and decorative arts. Little is known about his early life or formal training, as biographical details remain sparsely documented beyond his contributions to federal art initiatives. During the Great Depression, Smith participated in the In...