Binnacle Lamp 1938

Herman Stroh made this watercolor painting of a Binnacle Lamp in 1938. The Index of American Design, a New Deal project, employed artists like Stroh to document American material culture. The project aimed to create a visual archive of decorative, folk, and industrial arts, preserving a sense of national identity during the Great Depression. This image embodies the project's focus: a detailed rendering of a functional object. The binnacle lamp, typically used on ships for navigation, speaks to America's maritime history and industrial ingenuity. By isolating and elevating this everyday object, Stroh prompts us to consider the cultural significance embedded within the tools and technologies that shape our lives. Understanding this artwork requires research into the New Deal, the role of artists in documenting American identity, and the cultural meanings associated with maritime technology. Only then can we fully appreciate the Binnacle Lamp as more than just an object, but as a symbol of a nation grappling with its past and its future.