Vase (Amberina)

Art Historical Context

Behold the exquisite *Vase (Amberina)*, a meticulously rendered watercolor, graphite, and gouache by artist Robert Stewart, created 1937. This intimate work on paper (30.5 x 22.8 cm) captures shimmering allure of an Amber glass vase—a 19th-century American innovation where molten glass transitions from warm amber to vibrant ruby red through reheating, evoking the glow of sunset. Such vases, popularized by the New England Glass Company in the1880s, symbolized Victorian opulence and technical mastery in art glassmaking. Stewart's piece is a gem from the *Index of American Design*, a landmark WPA Federal Art Project (1935–1942) that employed artists during the Great Depression to document the nation's folk and decorative arts. Over 15,000 such precise renderings preserved vanishing crafts for posterity, blending artistic skill with cultural anthropology. Here, Stewart's deft use of layered watercolor and gouache mimics the vase's iridescent sheen, while graphite outlines ensure anatomical accuracy—highlighting the Index's role in celebrating everyday American ingenuity. Housed in the National Gallery of Art's collection, this artwork invites us to appreciate not just beauty, but the enduring spirit of preservation that turned hardship into heritage.

About the Artist

Robert Stewart · 1855–present

Robert Stewart was an American artist who worked during the New Deal era, contributing to the Index of American Design — one of the most ambitious cultural documentation projects in United States history. Sponsored by the Works Progress Administration's Federal Art Project from 1935 to 1942, the Index employed hundreds of artists across the country to create meticulous watercolor renderings of Ame...