Rush and Candle Stand
c. 1939
Medium
pen and ink on paper
Dimensions
overall: 53.8 x 25.5 cm (21 3/16 x 10 1/16 in.) Original IAD Object: 39 7/8" high; 10" wide at base
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.12144
Art Historical Context
Behold the delicate *Rush and Candle Stand*, a meticulous pen and ink rendering by Irene Lawson, created around 1939. This artwork captures a graceful American folk furniture piece—standing nearly 40 inches tall with a 10-inch base—designed to hold candles and possibly incorporate rush elements for seating or illumination. Lawson's precise lines evoke the simplicity and functionality of everyday colonial-era objects, transforming utilitarian design into an artistic tribute. As part of the *Index of American Design*IAD), a groundbreaking Works Progress Administration (WPA) project from the Gre...
About the Artist
Irene Lawson
Irene Lawson is an artist about whom the available biographical record is limited. No birth or death dates have been established, and her nationality and the details of her training are not documented in major reference sources. Her presence in museum collections indicates a working artist whose output was considered worthy of preservation, but without firmer biographical anchors — including info...