Jar

Art Historical Context

**Jar** by Nicholas Amantea (c. 1939) is a captivating rendering from the Index of American Design, a treasure trove of American folk art documentation. Created with watercolor, colored pencil, graphite on paperboard, 45.7 x 38 cm work meticulously captures a humble ceramic jar measuring 10¼ inches high, with a 6½-inch diameter at the top and 8 at the base. Amantea’s precise technique highlights the vessel's graceful form—tapering elegantly from a wider base to a narrower neck—showcasing subtle glazes and textures that evoke everyday American craftsmanship. As part of the Federal Art Project under the Works Progress Administration (WPA) during the Great Depression, the Index employed artists like Amantea to document regional designs through detailed, full-color illustrations. This effort preserved vanishing folk traditions, from pottery to quilts, ensuring cultural heritage endured economic hardship. Amantea's layered media blend realism with subtle artistry, making the ordinary jar a study in form, color, and utility. Housed in the National Gallery of Art's collection, this piece invites visitors to appreciate the ingenuity of anonymous makers. It reminds us how simple objects embody America's diverse artistic spirit, bridging utility and beauty in the pre-World War II era.

About the Artist

Nicholas Amantea · 1900–1978

Nicholas Amantea (1900–1978) was an American artist born on July 13, 1900, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. His early life and artistic training are not well documented, but by the mid-1930s, he had established himself in New York City, where he contributed significantly to federal art initiatives during the Great Depression. From March 13, 1936, to July 15, 1942, Amantea worked for the Works Progress...