Jug

Art Historical Context

Behold the delicate rendering of a *Jug* by Nicholas Amantea, created around 1937 as part of the Index of American Design. This watercolor, colored pencil, and graphite work on paper (29 x 23 cm) captures a humble yet elegant ceramic vessel—originally 14 inches high with a 5-inch base diameter—in vivid detail. Aman's meticulous depiction highlights the jug's graceful form and subtle textures, evoking everyday American craftsmanship from an earlier era. As a product of the Federal Art Project under the Works Progress Administration (WPA) during the Great Depression, this piece belongs to the Index of American Design (1935–1942), a monumental effort to document and celebrate the nation's folk art and decorative traditions. Over 15,000 such renderings were produced by artists nationwide, preserving objects that embodied America's cultural heritage amid economic hardship. Aman's contribution underscores the value of ordinary household items as artistic treasures. The mixed-media technique—watercolor for luminous color washes, colored pencil for precise shading, and graphite for fine lines—brings the jug to life with scientific accuracy and artistic flair. Housed in the National Gallery of Art, it invites visitors to appreciate how Depression-era artists like Amantea transformed documentation into a vibrant homage to American ingenuity.

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...