Walnut Cradle
1937
Medium
watercolor, colored pencil, gouache, and graphite on paperboard
Dimensions
overall: 24.6 x 30.3 cm (9 11/16 x 11 15/16 in.) Original IAD Object: none given
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.4918
Art Historical Context
**Walnut Cradle** a vibrant rendering by Edward A. Darby created in 1937 part of the Index of American Design (IAD). This mixed-media work—employing watercolor, colored pencil gouache, and graphite paperboard—measures .6 x 30.3 cm and captures the curves and rich walnut grain of a traditional American cradle. Darby's precise depiction highlights the object's folk craftsmanship, evoking the warmth of early American domestic life. The IAD a Federal Art Project under the Works Progress Administration (1935–1942), commissioned artists like Darby to document everyday American decorative arts throu...