High Armchair

Art Historical Context

Step into the world of American design with *High Armchair*, a meticulous rendering by artist Virgil A. Liberto 1940. Created as part of the Index of American Design—a groundbreaking Federal Art Project under the Works Progress Administration (WPA) during the Great Depression—this watercolor, colored pencil, graphite,-and-ink drawing with subtle heightening captures a stately armchair measuring about 4 feet high, 1 foot 9 inches wide, and 1 foot 7 inches deep The Index, spanning 1935 to 1942, employed over 400 artists to document thousands of everyday American objects, from folk art to furniture, preserving cultural heritage amid economic hardship. Liberto's sheet (45.7 x 35.4 cm) showcases masterful mixed-media techniques: vibrant watercolors for wood tones, precise colored pencils and ink for contours, and graphite for fine details, bringing the chair's elegant proportions and craftsmanship to life. These renderings weren't mere sketches but hyper-realistic studies meant for reproduction, highlighting regional design traditions like Shaker simplicity or colonial revival styles. Today, housed in the National Gallery of Art's collection, *High Armchair* reminds us of America's inventive spirit. It celebrates functional beauty in humble furnishings, inviting visitors to appreciate how ordinary objects embody our shared history.