Music Box

Art Historical Context

**Music Box** by Chris Makrenos, between 1935 and 1942, is a captivating watercolor, graphite, and gouache on paper from the Index of American Design. Measuring 39.8 x 29.7 cm, this precise depiction captures a diminutive music box—originally just 6 3/16 inches wide by 4 11/16 inches high—casing everyday American craftsmanship from an earlier era. Housed in the National Gallery of Art's collection, it exemplifies the Federal Art Project's mission during the Great Depression to document the nation's artistic heritage. Part of the Works Progress Administration's (WPA) ambitious Index of American Design, Makrenos's work employed meticulous techniques: graphite for fine outlines, watercolor and gouache for vibrant, textured color. These media allowed artists to faithfully reproduce the intricate details, patterns, and materials of vernacular objects like music boxes, which were cherished household treasures blending functionality with folk artistry. This piece holds cultural significance as a visual archive, preserving the ingenuity of American design amid economic hardship. By rendering such objects, the Index celebrated regional traditions, ensuring that humble yet beautiful artifacts—like this melodic keepsake—endure for future generations to appreciate. (198 words)

About the Artist

Chris Makrenos · 1855–present

Chris Makrenos was an American artist active in the mid-twentieth century who contributed a substantial body of work to the Index of American Design, the New Deal-era federal project that documented American folk art and decorative culture through meticulous watercolor illustration. His works are held in the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., and span a wide range of subjects drawn from ...