Plate
1939
Medium
watercolor, graphite, and pen and ink on paper
Dimensions
overall: 27.9 x 35.5 cm (11 x 14 in.) Original IAD Object: 12" Dia
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.6089
Art Historical Context
This exquisite rendering of a *Plate* by Giacintoelli, created in 1939, the intricate beauty of an American-designed ceramic dish measuring 12 inches in diameter Executed in watercolor, graphite, and and ink on paper (27.9 x 35.5 cm), it showcases Capelli's meticulous hand in preserving everyday objects as fine art. Part of the National Gallery of Art's collection, this work belongs to the Index American Design (IAD), a treasure trove documenting the nation's decorative heritage. The IAD, launched in 1935 under the Works Progress Administration's Federal Art Project during the Great Depressio...
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...