Mug
c. 1940
Medium
watercolor, colored pencil, and graphite on paperboard
Dimensions
overall: 35.4 x 25.4 cm (13 15/16 x 10 in.) Original IAD Object: 6 1/2" High 4" Dia.
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.5096
Art Historical Context
Behold the exquisite rendering of a humble *Mug* by Giacinto Capelli, around 1940 as part of the Index of American Design (IAD). This detailed, colored pencil, and graphite study on paperboard (35.4 x 25.4 cm) meticulously captures a modest original object—6½ inches high and 4 inches in diametershowcasing everyday American craftsmanship from an earlier era. Housed in the National Gallery of Art, exemplifies the precision of Capelli's hand in translating three-dimensional form into vibrant, lifelike two dimensions. The IAD, a Works Progress Administration (WPA) project during the Great Depress...
About the Artist
Giacinto Capelli
**Giacinto Capelli** (American, active c. 1935–1942) contributed significantly to the documentation of American material culture through his precise watercolor renderings as part of the Index of American Design, a Federal Art Project under the Works Progress Administration (WPA). Little is known about his early life or formal training, which remains sparsely documented, though his expertise in wat...