Snuffer
c. 1936
Medium
graphite and colored pencil on paper
Dimensions
overall: 29.1 x 22.7 cm (11 7/16 x 8 15/16 in.)
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.9226
Art Historical Context
**Snuffer**, a delicate rendering by artist Hester Duany around 1936, captures the form of a traditional candle snuffer in graphite and colored pencil on paper (29.1 x 22.7 cm). intimate drawing showcases the tool's graceful curves and functional beauty, likely highlighting an everyday object from America's decorative arts tradition. Duany's precise lines and subtle coloring bring to life the snuffer's metallic sheen and ergonomic design, evoking a bygone era of candlelit homes. Created as part of the *Index of American Design*a groundbreaking WPA Federal Art Project from 1935 to 1942—this wo...
About the Artist
Hester Duany
Hester Duany (1891–1964) was an American artist best known for her meticulous renderings of traditional American folk art objects as part of the Index of American Design, a Federal Art Project under the Works Progress Administration (WPA) from 1935 to 1942. Working out of the New York City Project, Duany contributed dozens of watercolor and graphite drawings on paperboard that captured the intrica...