Pottery Foot Warmer
c. 1937
Medium
watercolor, graphite, pen and ink, and colored pencil on paper.
Dimensions
overall: 28 x 22.9 cm (11 x 9 in.) Original IAD Object: 9 3/4" High7 3/4" Dia.
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.6170
Art Historical Context
Behold the *Pottery Foot Warmer a captivating watercolor rendering by Annie B. Johnston, created around 1937. This delicate mixed-media work—employing watercolor, graphite, and ink, and colored on paper (28 x 22.9 cm)—meticulously documents a humble yet ingenious American ceramic object, originally measuring 9¾ inches high and 7¾ inches in. Johnston's precise depiction captures the foot warmer's earthy tones and practical form, evoking the cozy comforts of pre-central-heating households. As part of the Index of American Design (IAD), a Works Progress Administration (WPA) project from the Grea...
About the Artist
Annie B. Johnston
Annie B. Johnston was an American artist active in the late 1930s, recognized for her contributions to the Index of American Design, the New Deal-era federal program that commissioned artists to create meticulous watercolor renderings of American folk and decorative arts objects. Working in watercolor, colored pencil, graphite, and pen and ink on paper, Johnston brought technical precision and sen...