Vase

Art Historical Context

John Tarantino's *Vase* (c. 1940) is a captivating watercolor and graphite rendering on paperboard, measuring 36.7 x 29.2 cm (14 7/16 x 11 1/2 in.). This piece depicts an original object standing 10 inches high and 8 inches, showcasing the meticulous detail of everyday American craftsmanship. As part of the National Gallery of Art's collection, it exemplifies the artist's skill in capturing form, texture, and subtle color variations through fluid watercolor washes and precise graphite lines. Created for the Index of American Design (IAD), a groundbreaking WPA Federal Art Project from 1935 to 1942, this work documents the nation's rich heritage of folk and decorative arts during the Great Depression. The IAD employed over 200 artists like Tarantino to produce thousands of such renderings, preserving cultural artifacts that might otherwise be lost to time. By elevating utilitarian objects like this vase into fine art studies, it highlights the artistic merit in American design traditions. Tarantino's technique—blending vibrant watercolors for depth and graphite for sharp contours—brings the vase's contours and patterns to life, inviting viewers to appreciate the ingenuity of anonymous makers. A testament to New Deal-era cultural initiatives, this piece reminds us how art can safeguard history for future generations.

About the Artist

John Tarantino · 1855–present

John Tarantino was an American artist active from around 1935 to 1953, best known for his meticulous contributions to the Index of American Design, a Federal Art Project under the Works Progress Administration (WPA). This ambitious initiative commissioned artists across the United States to create precise renderings of everyday folk art objects, preserving the nation's vernacular design heritage a...