Foot Warmer
c. 1936
Medium
watercolor, graphite, and colored pencil on paper
Dimensions
overall: 22 x 29.8 cm (8 11/16 x 11 3/4 in.) Original IAD Object: 10" wide; 10" deep
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.16092
Art Historical Context
**Foot Warmer**, a captivating watercolor, graphite, and colored pencil rendering by Gerald Bernhardt from around 1936, meticulously captures an everyday American household object from the Index of American Design This 10-inch square foot warmer—likely a pierced metal or ceramic vessel once filled with hot coals to warm chilly feet—evokes the ingenuity of pre-central-heating life in colonial and early American homes. Bernhardt's precise depiction, measuring 22 x 29.8 cm, highlights the object's functional beauty, from its ornate perforations to subtle patina, transforming a utilitarian item in...