Slat-back Chair

Art Historical Context

Step into the world of American craftsmanship with *Slat-back Chair*, a meticulous rendering by artist George Kirschner around 1936. Created using watercolor, gouache, colored pencil, and graphite on paper (29 x 23.1 cm), this work captures the elegant simplicity of a classic wooden chair measuring 34 inches high and 20 inches wide. The mixed-media technique allows for vibrant yet precise detailing, blending fluid washes with sharp lines to highlight the chair's turned spindles, vertical slats, and sturdy form—hallmarks of early American folk furniture. This artwork is a gem from the *Index of American Design*, a landmark Federal Art Project under the Works Progress Administration (WPA) during the Great Depression. Launched in 1935, the IAD commissioned over 15,000 such illustrations by artists like Kirschner to document and celebrate everyday American objects, preserving cultural heritage amid economic hardship. These stylized yet accurate depictions promoted national pride in vernacular design. The slat-back chair embodies colonial-era ingenuity, prized for its functionality and unadorned beauty. Displayed in the National Gallery of Art's collection, Kirschner's piece invites us to appreciate how ordinary furnishings reflect America's resourceful spirit.