Bonnet
c. 1939
Medium
graphite and watercolor on paper
Dimensions
overall: 33.9 x 28 cm (13 3/8 x 11 in.)
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.1084
Art Historical Context
Grace Halpin's *Bonnet* (c. 1939) is a delicate rendering from the Index of American Design, a landmark WPA Federal Art Project initiative during the Great Depression. Launched in 1935, this program employed artists across the U.S. document everyday objects embodying American folk art, crafts, and design heritage—preserving cultural treasures through meticulous watercolor studies before many originals deteriorated or vanished. Halpin, a skilled illustrator, captured this charming headpiece with precision, highlighting its role in American material culture, likely from the 19th century, when bo...
About the Artist
Grace Halpin
**Grace Halpin (1909–1978)** was an American artist best known for her meticulous contributions to the Index of American Design, a Federal Art Project under the Works Progress Administration (WPA) during the 1930s and 1940s. This ambitious initiative commissioned artists to create detailed renderings of everyday American folk and decorative arts, preserving cultural artifacts through watercolor an...