Cradle

Art Historical Context

**Cradle**, a captivating rendering by artist Harry King around 1940, showcases the meticulous artistry of the Index of American Design. Created using watercolor, colored pencil, graphite on paperboard (measuring 40.6 x 51 cm), this depicts a traditional American cradle, measuring approximately 39 3/4 inches long and 17 1/2 inches wide in its original form. Housed in the National Gallery of Art collection, it exemplifies the project's goal to celebrate everyday objects as cultural treasures. Part of the Works Progress Administration's Federal Art Project during the Great Depression (1935–1942), the Index commissioned over 18,000 detailed illustrations of American folk art and design. Harry King, a skilled draftsman, employed layered techniques—vibrant watercolors for depth, precise colored pencils for texture, and graphite for fine lines—to faithfully reproduce the cradle's craftsmanship. This cradle likely represents 18th- or 19th-century vernacular woodworking, symbolizing family life and domestic ingenuity in early America. These renderings hold enduring significance, preserving fragile artifacts through art while highlighting regional traditions. Visitors can appreciate how King's work bridges historical design with modern appreciation, inviting reflection on the humble beauty of American heritage.

About the Artist

Harry King · 1917–2001

**Harry King (1917–2001)** was an American artist best known for his precise watercolor and graphite renderings of American folk art and decorative objects. Working primarily in the late 1930s and early 1940s, he contributed to the Index of American Design, a federal project under the Works Progress Administration that documented historic American craftsmanship through detailed illustrations. His ...