Embroidered Fire Screen
c. 1937
Medium
watercolor, colored pencil, pen and ink, and graphite on paper
Dimensions
overall: 45.2 x 26.7 cm (17 13/16 x 10 1/2 in.) Original IAD Object: 61 1/2"high overall; 17 1/2 x 16"screen; 14"spread of legs.
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.5248
Art Historical Context
Behold the *Embroidered Fire Screen a meticulous rendering by Ernest A. Towers,., created around 1937. This vibrant watercolor, colored pencil, pen and, and graphite drawing on paper (45.2 x 26.7 cm) captures intricate details of a functional yet ornamental American household object. Fire screens like this one, standing about 61½ inches high with a 17½ x 16-inch screen and 14-inch leg spread, were popular in the 19th century to shield delicate complexions from fireplace heat and sparks while adding elegance to parlors. As part of the Index of American Design—a groundbreaking WPA Federal Art P...
About the Artist
Ernest A. Towers, Jr.
Ernest A. Towers, Jr. was an American artist active during the late 1930s and early 1940s, best known for his meticulous contributions to the Index of American Design, a Federal Art Project under the Works Progress Administration (WPA). This ambitious initiative commissioned artists across the United States to create watercolor renderings of everyday American folk art, crafts, and decorative objec...