Grand Piano
c. 1938
Medium
watercolor, graphite, and pen and ink on paper
Dimensions
overall: 36.5 x 44 cm (14 3/8 x 17 5/16 in.)
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.12747
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...
About the Artist
Ray Price
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...