Reading Lamp
1941
Medium
watercolor, graphite, and gouache on paper
Dimensions
overall: 56.3 x 39.5 cm (22 3/16 x 15 9/16 in.) Original IAD Object: 14" long; 20" high
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.12768
Art Historical Context
**Reading Lamp** by Joseph Cannella (1) is a meticulous rendering of an everyday American object from the National Gallery of Art's Index American Design collection. Created at 56.3 x 39.5 cm on paper, artwork captures a reading lamp measuring 14 inches long and20 inches high, highlighting the charm of mid-20th-century utilitarian design. Cannella's precise depiction invites visitors to appreciate how ordinary household items embodied American craftsmanship and ingenuity. As part of the Index of American Design—a Works Progress Administration (WPA project from 1935 to 1942—this piece served a...