Ladder Rock Chair
1937
Medium
watercolor, colored pencil, graphite, and some heightening on paperboard
Dimensions
overall: 35.4 x 24.2 cm (13 15/16 x 9 1/2 in.) Original IAD Object: none given
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.4494
Art Historical Context
Step into the world of American folk craftsmanship with *Ladder Rock Chair*, a meticulous 1937 rendering by artist John Sullivan. This detailed depiction captures a classic ladder-back rocking chair, a staple of early American vernacular furniture known for its sturdy slat construction and gentle rocking motion. Evoking rural simplicity and everyday utility, the chair embodies the ingenuity of colonial and frontier makers who crafted functional pieces from local woods. Created as part of the Index of American Design—a groundbreaking WPA Federal Art Project from 1935 to 1942—Sullivan's work pr...