Trunk
c. 1940
Medium
watercolor and graphite on paper
Dimensions
overall: 35.7 x 45.6 cm (14 1/16 x 17 15/16 in.) Original IAD Object: 30" long; 18" wide; 18" high
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.15890
Art Historical Context
"Trunk," created around 1940 by artist Josephcadenti, is a watercolor and graphite rendering on paper, measuring 35.7 x 45.6 cm. It depicts an American trunk—likely a sturdy travel or storage chest—originally 30 inches long, inches wide, and inches high. Ficcadenti's precise draftsmanship captures the object's form, textures, and hardware with remarkable clarity, evoking the practical craftsmanship of early American furniture. This work is part of the Index of American Design (IAD), a groundbreaking WPA Federal Art Project from 1935 to 1942. During the Great Depression, over 200 artists doc...