Toleware Ink Stand
c. 1937
Medium
watercolor, pen and ink, gouache, and graphite on paper
Dimensions
overall: 22.4 x 26.2 cm (8 13/16 x 10 5/16 in.)
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.11599
Art Historical Context
Welcome to the National Gallery of, where we spotlight treasures from America's design heritage. *Toleware Ink Stand created around 1937 by artist H. Langden Brown is a vibrant watercolor, pen and ink, gouache, and graphite on paper (22.4 x 26.2 cm). This detailed depiction captures a classic example of toleware—a of painted tinware popular in 18th- and 19th-century. Toleware objects like ink stands were everyday luxuries, often hand-decorated with floral motifs, lacquer finishes, and bright enamels, blending European japanning techniques with American folk artistry. As part of the *Index of ...
About the Artist
H. Langden Brown
H. Langden Brown (1879–1960) was an American artist best known for his contributions to the Index of American Design, a Federal Art Project under the Works Progress Administration (WPA) from 1935 to 1942. This ambitious initiative commissioned artists across the United States to create meticulous watercolor renderings of everyday objects, tools, vehicles, and crafts that embodied the nation's folk...