Press
1938
Medium
watercolor and graphite on paperboard
Dimensions
overall: 27.9 x 35.4 cm (11 x 13 15/16 in.) Original IAD Object: 12" long; 5 1/2" deep
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.13395
Art Historical Context
In 1938, artist Michael Fallon created *Press*, a meticulous watercolor and graphite rendering on paperboard, measuring 27.9 x 35.4 cm. This work captures the form and details of an original American object—a compact press standing 12 inches long and5½ inches deep—highlighting everyday tools that shaped early American life. Fallon's precise technique blends soft watercolor washes for depth and texture with sharp graphite lines for accuracy, evoking the tactile quality of wood and metal. As part of the Index of Design (IAD), a New Deal-era Federal Art Project under the Works Progress Administr...