Spectacles

Art Historical Context

Created around 1938, C Parker’s *Spectacles* is a graphite and watercolor drawing on paper, measuring just over 11 by 9 inches. This modest yet meticulously rendered work belongs to the Index American Design, a landmark collection now at the National Gallery of Art. Parker contributed to this project during a time when American artists were documenting the nation’s material heritage with extraordinary care. The Index of American Design, begun in 1935 as part of the Works Progress Administration’s Federal Art Project, employed artists to create accurate visual records of American decorative ar...