Toaster
c. 1940
Medium
watercolor and graphite on paperboard
Dimensions
overall: 47.8 x 30.3 cm (18 13/16 x 11 15/16 in.) Original IAD Object: 19" long; 5" wide
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.16601
Art Historical Context
**Toaster** by Nicholas Amantea, around 1940, is a captivating rendering from the Index of American Design, a landmark WPA Federal Art Project from the 1930s and 1940s. During the Great Depression, artists like Amantea meticulously documented everyday American objects—folk art, crafts, and industrial designs—to celebrate the nation's creative heritage and preserve it for future generations. This watercolor and graphite work on paperboard captures a classic toaster, measuring about 19 inches long and 5 inches wide in original form, highlighting the ingenuity of early 20th-century American house...
About the Artist
Nicholas Amantea
Nicholas Amantea (1900–1978) was an American artist born on July 13, 1900, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. His early life and artistic training are not well documented, but by the mid-1930s, he had established himself in New York City, where he contributed significantly to federal art initiatives during the Great Depression. From March 13, 1936, to July 15, 1942, Amantea worked for the Works Progress...