Trivet
c. 1937
Medium
graphite on paperboard
Dimensions
overall: 29 x 22.6 cm (11 7/16 x 8 7/8 in.) Original IAD Object: 5" in diameter; 3/8" high
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.15773
Art Historical Context
Behold the delicate graphite rendering of a *Trivet* by Filippo Porreca created around 1937 as part of the Index of American Design (IAD). This modest household object—a 5-inch-diameter, 3/8-inch-high stand for hot pots and dishes—captures the everyday ingenuity of American craftsmanship. Porreca's precise drawing on paperboard, measuring 29 x 22.6 cm, transforms a utilitarian item into a celebrated artifact, highlighting its functional form and subtle decorative charm. The IAD, a Federal Art Project under the Works Progress Administration (WPA) from 1935 to 1942, commissioned artists like Po...
About the Artist
Filippo Porreca
Filippo Porreca is an artist for whom documented biographical information is scarce. No confirmed dates of birth or death have been established, and his nationality remains uncertain, preventing confident placement of his work within a specific national or regional tradition. The works attributed to Porreca indicate an artist with training in a recognizable technical tradition, but without archiv...