Toleware Tin Cannister
1937
Medium
watercolor and graphite on paperboard
Dimensions
overall: 35.6 x 27.9 cm (14 x 11 in.) Original IAD Object: 9" in diameter; 8 1/2" high
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.15156
Art Historical Context
Behold the exquisite *Toleware Tin Cannister*, a 1937 watercolor and graphite rendering by artist Donald Humphrey, part of the National Gallery of Art's esteemed Index of American Design collection. Measuring 35.6 x 27.9 cm (14 x 11 in.), this detailed depiction captures a functional 19th-century American folk art object—originally 9 inches in diameter and 8½ inches high—showcasing the vibrant painted tinware known as toleware. Humphrey's precise technique highlights the canister's decorative floral motifs and glossy japanning, a lacquer finish that mimicked expensive porcelain and protected t...