Surgeon's Field Desk and Kit
c. 1941
Medium
watercolor, colored pencil, and graphite on paperboard
Dimensions
overall: 35.6 x 45.6 cm (14 x 17 15/16 in.) Original IAD Object: 17"high; 17 1/2"wide; 30"long
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.4995
Art Historical Context
Eva Perry's *Surgeon's Field Desk Kit* (c. 1941) is a meticulous watercolor, colored pencil, and graphite on paperboard, capturing a portable wooden desk and medical kit essential for 19th-century American military surgeons. Measuring 35.6 x 45.6 cm, this artwork faithfully documents the original object's dimensions—17 inches high, 17½ inches wide, and 30 long—showcasing its compact design for battlefield use, complete with hinged surfaces, drawers, and compartments for instruments. Created as part of the Index of American Design (IAD), a Federal Art Project under the Works Progress Administr...