Teapot

Art Historical Context

This watercolor, graphite, and pen-and-ink drawing of a teapot, created around 1938 by Joseph Sudek, forms part of the Index of American Design at the National Gallery of Art. The mixed-media work on paperboard measures about 11 by 9 inches and records an original teapot roughly 7 inches high, capturing its form and details with careful precision. The Index of American Design was a Depression-era federal project that employed artists to document American decorative arts, folk crafts, and everyday objects through highly accurate illustrations. These plates preserved visual records of items that might otherwise have been lost, celebrating the skill of American makers from earlier centuries. Sudek’s rendering exemplifies the project’s blend of artistic technique and documentary purpose, turning a simple utilitarian vessel into a lasting historical and aesthetic record. Today the collection offers viewers a window into both the original object’s craftsmanship and the 1930s effort to honor America’s material heritage.

About the Artist

Joseph Sudek

Josef Sudek (1896–1976) was a Czech photographer widely regarded as one of the greatest photographers of the twentieth century, known for his poetic, intimate images of Prague and his mastery of light. Born in Kolín, Bohemia, he lost his right arm during World War I and turned to photography during his convalescence, studying at the State School of Graphic Arts in Prague from 1922 to 1924. Sudek ...