Over Door Panel
1935/1942
Medium
watercolor and graphite on paperboard
Dimensions
overall: 42 x 60.2 cm (16 9/16 x 23 11/16 in.) Original IAD Object: 20 1/8" high; 38" wide; 1 7/16" thick
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.17238
Art Historical Context
Nestled within the National Gallery of Art's collection *Over Door Panel* by Amantea (1935/1942) is a captivating watercolor and graphite rendering on paperboard from the Index of American Design. Created during the Great Depression as part of the Works Progress Administration's Federal Art Project, this 42 x 60.2 cm work meticulously documents an American folk art object—a decorative panel likely intended for placement above a doorway in a historic home. Amantea, a skilled artist in the project, captured its intricate details with precision, preserving a piece of everyday craftsmanship that m...
About the Artist
Nicholas Amantea
Nicholas Amantea (1900–1978) was an American artist born on July 13, 1900, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. His early life and artistic training are not well documented, but by the mid-1930s, he had established himself in New York City, where he contributed significantly to federal art initiatives during the Great Depression. From March 13, 1936, to July 15, 1942, Amantea worked for the Works Progress...