Who created "Fruit Jar"?

Fruit Jar was created by J. Howard Iams in c. 1938.

When was "Fruit Jar" created?

This artwork was created c. 1938.

What medium is "Fruit Jar"?

Fruit Jar is watercolor and graphite on paperboard.

Is "Fruit Jar" in the public domain?

Yes, Fruit Jar is in the public domain and available for free download under CC0 license.

Fruit Jar

J. Howard Iams

c. 1938

Medium

watercolor and graphite on paperboard

Dimensions

overall: 32.9 x 19.9 cm (12 15/16 x 7 13/16 in.)

Classification

Index of American Design

Department

CG-W

Museum

National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.

Credit

Index of American Design

Accession Number

1943.8.11032

Art Historical Context

**Fruit Jar** by J. Howard Iams, created around 1938, captures the humble elegance of an everyday American object through meticulous watercolor and graphite on paperboard. Measuring 32.9 x 19.9 cm, this work is part of the prestigious Index of American Design (IAD), a Federal Art Project under the Works Progress Administration (WPA) during the Great Depression. Launched in 1935, the IAD employed artists like Iams to document the nation's folk art, crafts, and design traditions, producing over 15,000 detailed renderings that celebrate American ingenuity and cultural heritage. Iams's technique ...

About the Artist

J. Howard Iams

John Howard Iams (1897–1964) was an American artist and self-described artist-historian whose passion for the regional past of southwestern Pennsylvania shaped one of the most distinctive careers to emerge from the Federal Art Project era. Born in Amwell Township, Washington County, Pennsylvania, Iams grew up in the North Ten Mile region near the border of Greene County, a landscape steeped in col...

Fruit Jar

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