Settee
c. 1936
Medium
watercolor, colored pencil, graphite, and heightening on paperboard
Dimensions
overall: 23 x 28.3 cm (9 1/16 x 11 1/8 in.) Original IAD Object: 50 3/4"high; 61 3/4"wide; 15 3/4"deep at seat
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.5431
Art Historical Context
Behold the exquisite rendering of a *Settee* by Harry Eisman, around 1936 as part of the Index of American Design (IAD). This watercolor, colored pencil, graphite, and heightening on paperboardmeasuring 23 x 28.3 cm—captures the elegance of a classic American sofa, originally standing 50 3/4 inches high, 61 3/4 inches wide, and15 3/4 inches deep at the seat. Housed in the National Gallery of, it exemplifies the IAD's mission to document the nation's folk and decorative arts heritage. Born during the Great Depression as a Federal Art Project under the Works Progress Administration (1935–1942),...
About the Artist
Harry Eisman
Harry Eisman is an artist about whom the historical record remains sparse, and reliable details regarding his dates, nationality, and training have not been firmly established in available scholarship. The works associated with his name suggest engagement with the graphic arts or printmaking traditions, though the full scope of his career and artistic interests is difficult to characterize without...