Two Drawer Sunflower Chest - side view
c. 1936
Medium
watercolor, colored pencil, pen and ink and graphite on paper
Dimensions
overall: 28.1 x 35.7 cm (11 1/16 x 14 1/16 in.) Original IAD Object: 48 1/2"long; 40 1/4"high; 21"wide
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.4587
Art Historical Context
Behold the *Two Drawer Sunflower Chest - view*, a vibrant 1936 rendering by artist Martin Partyka, part of the esteemed Index of American Design. This detailed watercolor, colored pencil, pen and ink, and graphite drawing on paper (28.1 x 35.7 cm) captures side profile of a classic American folk furniture piece—measuring an impressive 48½ inches long, 40¼ inches high, and 21 inches in its original form. Sunflower motifs, a beloved emblem in early American decorative arts, likely adorn this two-drawer chest, evoking rural craftsmanship and natural abundance. Created during the Great Depression...
About the Artist
Martin Partyka
Martin Partyka is an artist whose biographical record is sparse. No confirmed dates of birth or death have been established, and his nationality and geographic context remain unverified in the available literature. Despite this uncertainty, Partyka's surviving works — held in museum collections — indicate an active artistic practice. The number and range of pieces attributed to him suggest a work...