Calico
c. 1936
Medium
gouache and graphite on paper
Dimensions
overall: 27.9 x 22.5 cm (11 x 8 7/8 in.)
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.823
Art Historical Context
**Calico** by Grace Halpin, created around 1936, is a delicate gouache and graphite rendering on paper, measuring 11 x 8 7/8 inches. This intimate work captures the intricate patterns of calico—a finely printed cotton fabric beloved in American homes for its vibrant, repeating motifs of florals, geometrics, and everyday scenes. Halpin's precise technique highlights the medium's strengths: gouache's opaque vibrancy for rich colors and graphite's fine lines for exacting detail, evoking the tactile quality of the original textile. As part of the *Index of American Design*, a groundbreaking Feder...
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...