Jar
1939
Medium
watercolor and pen and ink on paper
Dimensions
overall: 30.4 x 22.7 cm (11 15/16 x 8 15/16 in.)
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.6355
Art Historical Context
Behold the delicate rendering of *Jar* by Nicholas Amantea, in 1939 as part of the Index of American Design. This watercolor and pen-and-ink on paper, measuring 30.4 x 22.7 cm, is a meticulous documentation of an everyday American object, likely a vessel from the nation's rich tradition of folk and decorative arts. Housed in the National Gallery of Art's CG-W department, it exemplifies the project's mission to celebrate and preserve the ingenuity of American craftsmanship during the Great Depression era. Amantea, one of many skilled artists employed through the Works Progress Administration's...
About the Artist
Nicholas Amantea
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...