Shaker Rocking Chair

Art Historical Context

Behold the *Shaker Rocking Chair a meticulous 1936 watercolor, graphite, and gouache by Alfred H. Smith measuring a compact 27.9 x 22.9 cm. Part of the esteemed Index of American Design (IAD)—a Federal Art Project under the Works Progress Administration—this piece captures the essence of Shaker craftsmanship with precise lines and subtle color washes. Smith's mixed-media technique blends the fluidity of watercolor for wood grains and shadows with graphite's sharp detailing and gouache's opaque highlights, creating a lifelike study that invites viewers to appreciate everyday objects as art. Shaker furniture, born from the United Society of Believers in Christ's Second Appearing—a 19th-century religious community in America—embodied their ethos of simplicity, utility, and spiritual purity. Rocking chairs like this one featured graceful curves, tapered legs, and woven seats, designed for comfort without excess ornament. The IAD, launched amid the Great Depression, employed artists like Smith to document such vernacular treasures, preserving cultural heritage through over 15,000 renderings now housed at the National Gallery of Art. This work not only showcases Shaker design's influence on modern minimalism—from the Bauhaus to IKEA—but also highlights the IAD's role in elevating folk art to national treasure status, reminding us how humble chairs rocked revolutions in form and function.

About the Artist

Alfred H. Smith · 1855–present

Alfred H. Smith was an American artist active from around 1935 to 1953, best known for his meticulous watercolor and graphite drawings documenting American folk and decorative arts. Little is known about his early life or formal training, as biographical details remain sparsely documented beyond his contributions to federal art initiatives. During the Great Depression, Smith participated in the In...