Andiron (one of pair)

Art Historical Context

This delicate graphite drawing on paperboard captures one of a pair of andirons—traditional metal fireplace supports designed to hold logs—crafted in an earlier American style. Created around 1938 by artist Salvatore Borrazzo, the work measures 30.5 x 22.2 cm (12 x 8 3/4 in.), faithfully rendering an original object that stands 13 1/2 inches high and 7 3/8 inches wide. Borrazzo's precise lines and subtle shading highlight the andiron's functional form and decorative details, evoking the craftsmanship of colonial or early American hearths. As part of the Index of American Design (IAD), a Federal Art Project under the Works Progress Administration (WPA) during the Great Depression, this piece belongs to a monumental effort to document everyday American objects through over 15,000 watercolor and graphite renderings. Launched in 1935, the IAD celebrated the nation's folk art and design heritage, preserving cultural artifacts amid economic hardship and fostering national pride. Andirons like this one were essential to colonial homes, blending utility with ornamentation—often featuring animal motifs or neoclassical flourishes. Borrazzo's realistic technique underscores the IAD's mission: to elevate vernacular design as fine art. Today, housed in the National Gallery of Art's collection, it invites us to appreciate the artistry in America's domestic past.

About the Artist

Salvatore Borrazzo · 1916–1964

Salvatore Borrazzo is an artist whose biographical details are only partially recoverable from the available historical record. His dates, precise nationality, training, and the full extent of his artistic production have not been firmly established in the scholarly sources currently accessible, placing him among the many artists whose names appear in collection and exhibition records but whose li...