Shaker Rocking Chair
c. 1937
Medium
watercolor, graphite, colored pencil, and gouache on paper
Dimensions
overall: 27.6 x 22.7 cm (10 7/8 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
1943.8.10473
Art Historical Context
Behold the elegant simplicity of *Shaker Rocking Chair*, a captivating watercolor, graphite, colored pencil, gouache rendering by Alfred H. Smith created around 1937. Measuring just 27.6 x 22.7 cm, this work is part of the Index of American Design, a Deal-era Federal Art Project (1935–1942) that employed artists to document everyday American folk art and crafts. Housed in the National Gallery of Art, celebrates the utilitarian beauty of Shaker furniture, known for its clean lines, sturdy construction, and rejection of ornamentation. Shakers, a celibate religious sect founded in 18th-century E...
About the Artist
Alfred H. Smith
Alfred H. Smith was an American artist active from around 1935 to 1953, best known for his meticulous watercolor and graphite drawings documenting American folk and decorative arts. Little is known about his early life or formal training, as biographical details remain sparsely documented beyond his contributions to federal art initiatives. During the Great Depression, Smith participated in the In...