Silver Caster
c. 1936
Medium
graphite and colored pencil on paper
Dimensions
overall: 30.4 x 22.7 cm (11 15/16 x 8 15/16 in.) Original IAD Object: 5 3/4" high
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.14487
Art Historical Context
**Silver Caster**, a meticulous rendering by artist Herbert Russin around 1936, captures the of an early American silver sugar caster standing 5¾ inches high. Created using graphite and colored pencil on paper (30.4 × 22.7 cm), this work belongs to the *Index of American Design*, landmark WPA Federal Art Project from the Great Depression era. Russin's precise lines and subtle shading in graphite, enhanced by delicate colored pencil highlights, evoke the object's gleaming metal surface and intricate engravings, showcasing 18th- or 19th-century silversmith craftsmanship. The *Index of American ...