Grand Piano

Art Historical Context

"Grand Piano," created around 1938 by artist Ray, is a meticulous rendering from the Index of American Design, a WPA Federal Art Project initiative during the Great Depression. program employed hundreds of artists to document America's rich heritage of folk art, crafts, and design detailed watercolor plates. Price's work captures the elegant curves and ornate details of a classic grand piano, a symbol of musical sophistication in American homes and halls. Executed in watercolor, graphite, and pen and ink on paper36.5 x 44 cm), the piece showcases Price's skillful use of mixed media to achieve lifelike precision and subtle color gradients. The fine lines and shading highlight the piano's polished wood grain, brass fittings, and lyrical form, evoking the craftsmanship of 19th-century American furniture makers. Such techniques preserved objects that might otherwise be lost to time, making this not just art, but a vital historical record. Housed in the National Gallery of Art's Index of American Design collection, "Grand Piano" underscores the cultural importance of music in everyday American life. It reflects a national effort to celebrate indigenous design amid economic hardship, bridging fine art with utilitarian beauty for future generations to appreciate.

About the Artist

Ray Price · 1855–present

Ray Price was an American artist active around 1935, renowned for his meticulous watercolor renderings of everyday American objects and crafts. His oeuvre, comprising 88 works held in the National Gallery of Art collection, captures the functional beauty of vernacular items from the late 1930s through the late 1940s. Little is known about Price's early life or formal training, as biographical deta...