Crock
c. 1940
Medium
pen and ink on paperboard
Dimensions
overall: 27.9 x 23.1 cm (11 x 9 1/8 in.) Original IAD Object: 12" High 10" Dia(top) 6 3/4" Dia(base)
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.6367
Art Historical Context
**Crock** by John Tarantino (c. 1940) is a meticulous pen and ink rendering on paperboard, measuring 27.9 x 23.1 cm (11 x 9 1/8 in.). Created as part of the Index of American Design, this captures the form of a traditional earthenware crock—a staple of American household life used for storing food like pickles, butter, or cider. The original vessel stands 12 inches high, with a 10-inch diameter at the tapering to 6 3/4 inches at the base its simple, functional shape reflecting utilitarian pottery common in 19th-century American homes. The Index of American Design, a Federal Art Project under ...
About the Artist
John Tarantino
John Tarantino was an American artist active from around 1935 to 1953, best known for his meticulous contributions to the Index of American Design, a Federal Art Project under the Works Progress Administration (WPA). This ambitious initiative commissioned artists across the United States to create precise renderings of everyday folk art objects, preserving the nation's vernacular design heritage a...