Shaker Cupboard
c. 1938
Medium
watercolor, graphite, and pen and ink on paper
Dimensions
overall: 30.5 x 25.4 cm (12 x 10 in.)
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.16650
Art Historical Context
Step into the world of American folk art with *Shaker Cupboard*, a meticulous 1938 watercolor, graphite, and pen-and-ink rendering by John W. Kelleher. Measuring 12 x 10 inches, this delicate work on paper captures the essence of Shaker furniture—a cupboard exemplifying the Shakers' philosophy of simplicity, utility, and spiritual purity. The Shakers, a religious sect flourishing in the 19th century, crafted objects with unadorned lines, sturdy proportions, and flawless joinery, rejecting ornamentation in favor of honest craftsmanship. Created as part of the Index of American Design—a groundb...
About the Artist
John W. Kelleher
John W. Kelleher was an American artist active from around 1935 to 1953, best known for his contributions to the Index of American Design, a Works Progress Administration (WPA) Federal Art Project that commissioned artists to create precise watercolor renderings of everyday American folk art, crafts, and decorative objects. Little is known about Kelleher's early life or formal training, as biograp...