Oven
c. 1937
Medium
watercolor and graphite on paper
Dimensions
overall: 27.1 x 38.4 cm (10 11/16 x 15 1/8 in.) Original IAD Object: 27 1/2" long; 5 1/2" wide
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.15949
Art Historical Context
Arthur Stewart's *Oven* (c. 1937), a meticulous watercolor and graphite rendering on paper, captures the elegance of a traditional American hearth object. Measuring 27.1 x 38.4 cm, this work belongs to the Index of American Design (IAD), a landmark WPA Federal Art Project from the 1930s. Stewart's precise depiction highlights the oven's original dimensions—27½ inches long and 5½ inches wide—showcasing its functional form, likely a cast-iron or folk-crafted piece central to early American home life. Created during the Great Depression, the IAD employed artists like Stewart to document everyday...