Salt Cellar
c. 1936
Medium
watercolor, graphite, and gouache on paperboard
Dimensions
overall: 28.9 x 22.7 cm (11 3/8 x 8 15/16 in.)
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.10574
Art Historical Context
Behold the delicate *Salt Cellar*, a captivating rendering by artist John Tarantino, created around 1936. This work, executed in watercolor, graphite, andache on paperboard (measuring 28.9 x 22.7 cm), belongs to the esteemed Index of American Design collection at the National Gallery of Art. Tarantino's piece meticulously captures the form and ornamentation of a traditional American salt cellar—a humble yet essential tableware object—highlighting its graceful curves and functional elegance. As part of the Federal Art Project under the Works Progress Administration (WPA) during the Great Depre...
About the Artist
John Tarantino
John Tarantino was an American artist active from around 1935 to 1953, best known for his meticulous contributions to the Index of American Design, a Federal Art Project under the Works Progress Administration (WPA). This ambitious initiative commissioned artists across the United States to create precise renderings of everyday folk art objects, preserving the nation's vernacular design heritage a...