Rush Light and Candle Holder
c. 1938
Medium
graphite on paperboard
Dimensions
overall: 29 x 23.1 cm (11 7/16 x 9 1/8 in.)
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.12152
Art Historical Context
In the humble glow of early American homes, the *Rush Light and Candle Holder (c. 1938) by Filippo Porreca a poignant slice of everyday ingenuity. Rendered in graphite on paperboard, precise 29 x 23.1 cm drawing depicts a simple yet essential tool: a rush light, made by dipping the pith of rushes in animal fat, alongside a sturdy candle holder. These low-cost illuminators were vital for colonial and frontier households before widespread access to manufactured candles or electricity, symbolizing resourcefulness amid scarcity. Created as part of the Index of American Design—a Federal Art Projec...
About the Artist
Filippo Porreca
Filippo Porreca is an artist for whom documented biographical information is scarce. No confirmed dates of birth or death have been established, and his nationality remains uncertain, preventing confident placement of his work within a specific national or regional tradition. The works attributed to Porreca indicate an artist with training in a recognizable technical tradition, but without archiv...