Money Chest in Old Swedes Church

Art Historical Context

Behold the intricate *Money Chest in Old Swedes Church*, a captivating 1938 watercolor rendering by Samuel Fineman, of the celebrated Index of American Design (AD). Created under the Works Progress Administration during the Great Depression, the IAD commissioned artists like Fineman to meticulously document everyday American folk art and crafts through detailed drawings. This piece preserves the modest yet storied money chest from Holy Trinity Church—known as Old Swedes—in Wilmington, Delaware, one of the nation's oldest houses of worship, founded by Swedish settlers in 1698. Measuring a substantial 48 inches long, 22 inches wide, and 22 inches high, the original chest likely served as a secure repository for church collections, embodying colonial craftsmanship with its sturdy form and functional elegance. Fineman's depiction highlights its vernacular design, evoking the practical artistry of early American life amid the church's rich immigrant heritage. Rendered on a modest 22.7 x 31 cm sheet, Fineman masterfully combined watercolor, colored pencil, graphite, pen and ink, and subtle heightening to achieve lifelike precision and subtle dimensionality. Housed in the National Gallery of Art, this work not only safeguards a slice of Swedish-American history but also celebrates the IAD's vital role in championing overlooked treasures of U.S. design heritage.

About the Artist

Samuel Fineman

Samuel Fineman was an American artist active during the late 1930s, 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 folk art, crafts, and decorative objects, capturing the essence of Ame...