Half-canopy Carved Bed
c. 1936
Medium
watercolor, colored pencil, and graphite on paper
Dimensions
overall: 22.7 x 30.4 cm (8 15/16 x 11 15/16 in.) Original IAD Object: 6 1/2' long, 5' wide, 7 1/2' high
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.3993
Art Historical Context
Behold the *Half-canopy Carved*, a meticulous rendering by Dorothy Posten, created around 1936. This delicate watercolor, colored pencil, and graphite drawing on paper (22.7 x 30.4 cm) captures grandeur of an original American antique bed measuring 6½ feet long, 5 wide, and 7½ feet high. Posten's work showcases intricate carved details, evoking the craftsmanship of early American furniture traditions, where half-canopy designs provided both elegance and practicality in colonial and federal-era homes. As part of the *Index of American Design*—a landmark WPA Federal Art Project from the 1930s—P...
About the Artist
Dorothy Posten
Dorothy Posten was an American artist active during the mid-1930s, best known for her meticulous contributions to the Index of American Design, a Federal Art Project initiative under the Works Progress Administration (WPA). Launched in 1935, this ambitious endeavor employed artists across the United States to document the nation's folk art, crafts, and decorative traditions through detailed render...