Jug
c. 1941
Medium
watercolor, graphite, and colored pencil on paperboard
Dimensions
overall: 50.5 x 37.8 cm (19 7/8 x 14 7/8 in.)
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.7465
Art Historical Context
Behold the meticulously rendered *Jug* by Nicholas Amantea, created around 1941 as part of the Index of American Design. This vibrant watercolor, graphite, and colored pencil on paperboard measures 50.5 x 37.8 cm and captures the essence of everyday American craftsmanship with striking precision and color. Housed in the National Gallery of Art's CG-W Department, it exemplifies the project's mission to celebrate the nation's folk art heritage. The Index of American Design, a Federal Art Project under the Works Progress Administration (WPA) from 1935 to 1942, employed artists like Amantea durin...
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...