Jug
c. 1937
Medium
watercolor, colored pencil and graphite on paper
Dimensions
overall: 29 x 23 cm (11 7/16 x 9 1/16 in.) Original IAD Object: 14 " High 5" Dia.(base)
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.5038
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 I...
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...