Candle Holder

Art Historical Context

This delicate watercolor and graphite rendering of a candle holder captures a humble yet cherished piece of American domestic life from the early twentieth century. Created around 1937 by artist Thomas Holloway, the work belongs to the Index of American Design, a remarkable New Deal initiative that employed hundreds of artists to document the nation’s decorative arts, furniture, and everyday objects before they disappeared. Through precise observation and subtle color, Holloway preserves the simple form and proportions of an original object measuring just four by five inches, offering today’s ...