Joseph Cannella

Joseph Cannella was an artist active between 1935 and 1941, primarily associated with the Index of American Design (IAD), a federal initiative established under the Works Progress Administration (WPA). The IAD sought to create a comprehensive visual record of American decorative and folk arts, documenting objects through detailed, meticulous renderings. Cannella’s known output consists of objective, documentary drawings created during this period.

Cannella contributed significantly to the project’s documentation of tools and utilitarian objects. His works are characterized by technical precision required to accurately capture historical artifacts. Specific items documented by Cannella represented in collections include the Tobacco Jar, a mechanical Clock Jack, and the medical instrument known as the Spring Lancet. He also focused on arms and machinery, completing renderings of a Center Fire Revolver and a Collapsible Folding Knife.

Eleven works by Cannella related to the Index of American Design are currently represented in museum collections, establishing his verifiable role within the historical documentation project. These works are permanently held by the National Gallery of Art. Because of their creation under a governmental body, many of these documentary studies are available in the public domain, allowing researchers and historians access to high-quality prints of Joseph Cannella prints for study.