Cradle
1936
Medium
watercolor, colored pencil, and graphite on paper
Dimensions
overall: 23.1 x 29.2 cm (9 1/8 x 11 1/2 in.) Original IAD Object: 40"long; 16"wide; 26"high overall. Rockers 22"wide.
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.4916
Art Historical Context
Welcome to the National Gallery Art's showcase of the Index of American Design! "Cradle," created by Arsen Maralian in 1936, is a watercolor, colored pencil, and graphite on paper (23.1 x 29.2 cm) of a traditional American cradle. The original object measures an 40 inches long, 16 inches, and 26 inches high with 22-inch-wideers—evoking the gentle sway of lullabies and family life in early American homes. artwork emerged from the Index of American, a groundbreaking WPA Federal Art Project (19351942) during the Great Depression. Artists like Maralian documented everyday folk objects to celebra...
About the Artist
Arsen Maralian
Arsen Maralian is an artist whose biographical details, including his dates and nationality, are not well documented in standard reference sources. The limited archival record surrounding his life makes it difficult to reconstruct his training, artistic influences, or the period and place in which he was most active. Works attributed to Maralian suggest a personal artistic vision, though characte...