Servant's Bell
1935/1942
Medium
watercolor, graphite, and pen and ink on paper
Dimensions
overall: 35.6 x 26.7 cm (14 x 10 1/2 in.) Original IAD Object: 2 1/2" high; 3 3/4" in diameter;
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.16834
Art Historical Context
**Servant's Bell**, a meticulous rendering by artist Manuel G. Runyan 1935/1942, captures the humble yet evocative form of a small American call bell—originally 2½ inches high and 3¾ inches in diameter. Created as part of the Index of American Design (IAD), this watercolor, graphite, pen, and ink drawing on paper (35.6 x 26.7 cm) showcases everyday household objects that defined early American life, evoking the domestic routines of bygone eras when such bells summoned servants. Runyan's work emerged from the Federal Art Project of the Works Progress Administration (WPA) during the Great Depre...
About the Artist
Manuel G. Runyan
Manuel G. Runyan is an artist whose dates and nationality remain undocumented in major reference sources. The historical record concerning his training, biography, and artistic affiliations is sparse, and little has been established about his life or the context in which he worked. Works attributed to Runyan suggest a practice engaged with printmaking or works on paper, though the full scope and ...