Wrought Iron Ornament
c. 1936
Medium
pen and ink and gouache on paper
Dimensions
overall: 54.1 x 38.7 cm (21 5/16 x 15 1/4 in.)
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.11844
Art Historical Context
Step into the intricate world of American craftsmanship with *Wrought Iron Ornament* by Aurelia Arbo, created around 1936. This delicate pen and ink drawing enhanced with gouache on paper (54.1 x 38.7 cm) captures the elegant curves and flourishes of a wrought iron design, evoking the sturdy yet artistic metalwork that adorned early American homes, gates, and public spaces. Arbo's precise lines and subtle color washes bring the texture and form of forged iron to life on the page, highlighting the blacksmith's artistry in an era when such skills were fading. As part of the Index of American De...
About the Artist
Aurelia Arbo
Aurelia Josephine Coralie Arbo (1909–1993) was an American artist and educator renowned for her contributions to the Newcomb Pottery tradition, a cornerstone of the Arts and Crafts movement in early 20th-century Louisiana. Born on November 29, 1909, in New Orleans to piano tuner Henry Arthur Arbo and Henrietta Caroline Geier, she was one of nine children in a large family that nurtured her artisti...