Goblet

Art Historical Context

**Goblet** by Giacinto Capellic. 1936) is a delicate watercolor and graphite rendering on paperboard, measuring 28.8 x 22.5 cm. This precise study captures the elegant form and intricate details of an American goblet, highlighting its graceful curves, ornamental motifs, and subtle sheen—hallmarks of traditional craftsmanship. Capelli's skilled hand brings the object's materiality to life, blending soft watercolor washes for depth and luminosity with graphite lines for sharp definition. Created as part of the Index of American Design—a Federal Project under the Works Progress Administration (WPA) during the Great Depression—this work exemplifies a national effort from 1935 to 1942 to document and celebrate everyday American decorative arts. Artists like Capelli produced thousands of such renderings to preserve cultural heritage amid economic hardship, ensuring that objects like this goblet, rooted in colonial or folk traditions, were not lost to time. The medium's significance lies in its ability to faithfully reproduce the goblet's textures and colors, making it a vital historical record now housed in the National Gallery of Art. Visitors can appreciate how these Depression-era drawings bridged art and anthropology, fostering pride in America's design legacy.

About the Artist

Giacinto Capelli · 1855–present

**Giacinto Capelli** (American, active c. 1935–1942) contributed significantly to the documentation of American material culture through his precise watercolor renderings as part of the Index of American Design, a Federal Art Project under the Works Progress Administration (WPA). Little is known about his early life or formal training, which remains sparsely documented, though his expertise in wat...