Grotesque Jug
c. 1936
Medium
watercolor with white heightening over graphite on paperboard
Dimensions
overall: 22.6 x 29.1 cm (8 7/8 x 11 7/16 in.) Original IAD Object: 7" High 3 3/4" Dia.(bot)
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.5110
Art Historical Context
Behold the *Grotesque Jug*, captivating watercolor rendering by Chicago artist Frank Fumagalli created around 1936 as part of the Index of American Design (IAD). This Federal Art Project launched during the Great Depression under the Works Progress Administration, commissioned artists to meticulously document America's folk art and decorative objects. Fumagalli's precise depiction captures a whimsical ceramic jug—standing 7 inches high with a 3¾-inch base diameter—its exaggerated, fantastical form embodying the "grotesque" style popular in 19th-century American pottery, where potters playfully...
About the Artist
Frank Fumagalli
Frank Fumagalli (c. 1895–1958) was an Italian-born American artist whose precise watercolor renderings captured the essence of everyday American folk art objects during the mid-20th century. Little is known about his early life and training, as biographical details remain scarce beyond his immigration from Italy and establishment in the United States. Active primarily in New York, Fumagalli gained...