Crock
1936
Medium
watercolor, graphite, and colored pencil on paperboard
Dimensions
overall: 29.2 x 23.2 cm (11 1/2 x 9 1/8 in.) Original IAD Object: 13" High 9 3/8" Dia(top) 6 5/8" 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
1943.8.6383
Art Historical Context
In the heart of the Great Depression, artist Nicholas Amantea captured the humble elegance of everyday American life with *Crock* (1936), a rendering now housed in the National Gallery of Art. Created as part of the Index of American Design Federal Art Project under the Works Progress Administration (WPA)—this watercolor, graphite, and colored work on paperboard (29.2 x 23.2 cm) depicts a classic stoneware storage vessel, or crock, standing 13 inches high with a 9 3/8-inch top diameter tapering to 6 5/8 inches at the base. These utilitarian pots, often used for preserving butter, pickles, or g...
About the Artist
Nicholas Amantea
Nicholas Amantea (1900–1978) was an American artist born on July 13, 1900, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. His early life and artistic training are not well documented, but by the mid-1930s, he had established himself in New York City, where he contributed significantly to federal art initiatives during the Great Depression. From March 13, 1936, to July 15, 1942, Amantea worked for the Works Progress...