Rocking chair

Art Historical Context

Behold the delicate rendering of a *Rocking Chair* by artist Orison Daeda, created in 1939 as part of the Index of American Design. This watercolor, colored pencil, graphite, heightened work on paperboard measures 35.2 x 24.4 cm and captures the graceful curves and sturdy form of a classic American rocking chair. Housed in the National Gallery of Art's Department of Modern and Contemporary Art (CG-W), it exemplifies the project's mission to document everyday objects that embody the nation's cultural heritage. The Index of American Design, a Federal Art Project under the Works Progress Administration (WPA) during the Great Depression, employed artists like Daeda to produce over 15,000 watercolor plates of folk art, crafts, and designs from across America. Completed between 1935 and 1942, these works preserved vanishing traditions amid economic hardship, celebrating utilitarian beauty in items like this rocking chair—a symbol of domestic comfort and leisure since the 18th century. Daeda's meticulous technique blends soft watercolor washes for depth, precise colored pencil for details, and graphite for fine lines, with subtle heightening to mimic wood grain and texture. This piece not only highlights regional craftsmanship but invites us to appreciate how ordinary furniture reflects American ingenuity and nostalgia.