Crock

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 the Works Progress Administration (WPA) during the Great Depression, commissioned artists like Tarantino to document everyday American crafts and folk art through precise watercolor and ink studies. Completed around 1940, these works preserved cultural heritage at a time when such objects faced obsolescence, now housed in the National Gallery of Art's collection (Department: CG-W). Tarantino's fine pen work highlights the crock's subtle contours and textures, emphasizing its historical role in self-sufficient rural life. This piece invites visitors to appreciate how ordinary items embody America's inventive spirit and craftsmanship.

About the Artist

John Tarantino · 1855–present

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...