China Closet
Medium
watercolor, gouache, colored pencil, and graphite on paper
Dimensions
overall: 30.5 x 22.8 cm (12 x 9 in.) Original IAD Object: 58"overall; 52"wide; See data sheet for details.
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.4888
Art Historical Context
**China Closet**, a collaborative watercolor rendering by artists Gordon Saltar and Edward. Loper around 1937, brings to life a classic piece of American furniture from the of American Design. This Federal Art Project, launched under the Works Progress Administration (WPA) the Great Depression, employed artists to meticulously document everyday objects of American material culture—furniture, tools, textiles, and morecreating over 15,000 precise illustrations now treasured in collections like the National Gallery of Art. Measuring just 12 x 9 inches on paper, the work captures a substantial chi...