Mantel Clock

Art Historical Context

Behold the exquisite *Mantel Clock*, a meticulously rendered depiction by artist Ernest A. Towers, Jr., created between 1935 1942. This, colored pencil, gouache, pen-and-ink drawing on paper (30.5 x 22.9 cm) captures elegant form of an original mantel clock measuring 18¾ inches high, with a base 10½ inches wide and 3¾ inches deep featuring a 7-inch-wide door. As part of the National Gallery of Art's collection, it exemplifies the precision and artistry used to document everyday American treasures. This work belongs to the Index of American Design (IAD), a landmark Federal Art Project under the Works Progress Administration during the Great Depression. From 1935 to 1942, artists like Towers produced over 15,000 such renderings to celebrate and preserve the nation's folk art, crafts, and decorative objects. The mixed-media technique—layering translucent watercolors and gouache for luminous color, refined with colored pencil and ink for sharp details—brings the clock's intricate architecture to life, highlighting its cultural role as a cherished household centerpiece. Through the IAD, pieces like this mantel clock rendering safeguard vanishing examples of American ingenuity and style, offering visitors a window into 19th- and early 20th-century domestic life. It's a testament to how art can document history, blending technical mastery with patriotic pride.

About the Artist

Ernest A. Towers, Jr.

Ernest A. Towers, Jr. was an American artist active during the late 1930s and early 1940s, best known for his meticulous contributions to the Index of American Design, a Federal Art Project under the Works Progress Administration (WPA). This ambitious initiative commissioned artists across the United States to create watercolor renderings of everyday American folk art, crafts, and decorative objec...