Iron Candlestick
c. 1938
Medium
graphite on paperboard
Dimensions
overall: 52.5 x 37.4 cm (20 11/16 x 14 3/4 in.) Original IAD Object: 18" high
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.12198
Art Historical Context
Behold the *Iron Candlestick*, a graphite drawing on paperboard by artist Joseph, created around 1938. Measuring 52.5 x 37.4 cm, this work captures the sturdy elegance of an 18-inch-high wrought iron candlestick, a humble yet enduring example of American craftsmanship. Papa's precise lines and subtle shading bring out the object's textured surfaces and functional form, evoking the quiet beauty of everyday colonial-era metalwork. This piece is part of the *Index of American Design* (IAD), a groundbreaking WPA Federal Art Project from the 1930s that employed artists to document the nation's fol...