Rosewood Vase
c. 1936
Medium
watercolor, pen and ink, and graphite on paper
Dimensions
overall: 35.4 x 25.5 cm (13 15/16 x 10 1/16 in.) Original IAD Object: 10" high; 5" wide
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.15940
Art Historical Context
In the heart of the Great Depression, the Index of American Design—a ambitious Federal Art Project under the Works Progress Administration—commissioned artists like Sebastian Simonet to meticulously document the nation's folk and decorative arts. Created around 1936, *Rosewood Vase* one such gem: a precise rendering of a graceful 10-inch-high, 5-inch-wide wooden vase, celebrated for its rich rosewood grain and elegant form. Housed in the National Gallery Art, this work (35.4 x 25.5 cm) captures the object's subtle curves and polished surfaces, preserving a slice of American craftsmanship for f...