Wrought Iron Betty Lamp
c. 1937
Medium
watercolor, graphite, and pen and ink on paper
Dimensions
overall: 40.7 x 32.1 cm (16 x 12 5/8 in.) Original IAD Object: 3 3/4" long; 2 3/4" wide; 4 3/4" high
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.12352
Art Historical Context
Step into the illuminating world of American folk craft with *Wrought Iron Betty Lamp*, a meticulous rendering by artist H. Langden Brown, circa 1937. Created as part of the Index of American Design—a WPA Federal Art Project during the Great Depression—this watercolor, graphite, and pen-ink drawing on paper (40.7 x 32.1 cm) captures essence of a humble yet ingenious colonial-era object. The original Betty lamp, measuring just 3 3/4 inches long, 2 3/4 inches wide, and 4 3/4 inches high, exemplifies early American ingenuity in everyday lighting. Betty lamps, named possibly after their designer ...
About the Artist
H. Langden Brown
H. Langden Brown (1879–1960) was an American artist best known for his contributions to the Index of American Design, a Federal Art Project under the Works Progress Administration (WPA) from 1935 to 1942. This ambitious initiative commissioned artists across the United States to create meticulous watercolor renderings of everyday objects, tools, vehicles, and crafts that embodied the nation's folk...