Chair
1935/1942
Medium
pen and ink, graphite, and some heightening on paper
Dimensions
overall: 27.7 x 22.8 cm (10 7/8 x 9 in.) Original IAD Object: 42 1/2" high
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.4173
Art Historical Context
In the heart of the Great Depression, the Index of American Design (193–1942), a Federal Art Project under the Works Progress Administration, artists like Francis Law Durand to create renderings of everyday American objects. This pen-and-ink drawing with graphite and subtle heightening on paper captures a classic wooden chair, standing 42½ inches tall in its original form. Measuring just 27.7 x 22.8 cm, Durand's precise study preserves the chair's form, likely highlighting its craftsmanship from American folk or vernacular traditions. Durand's technique—fine pen lines for contours, graphite f...
About the Artist
Francis Law Durand
**Francis Law Durand (1906–1995)** Born on March 31, 1906, in Mount Holly, New Jersey, Francis Law Durand emerged as a skilled American draftsman and artist during the Great Depression era. Little is known about his early life or formal training, as biographical details remain sparsely documented beyond his professional output. By 1935, he was employed by the Works Progress Administration (WPA), ...