Chalkware Greyhound
c. 1941
Medium
watercolor and graphite on paperboard
Dimensions
overall: 27.9 x 38.2 cm (11 x 15 1/16 in.) Original IAD Object: 9" long
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.8322
Art Historical Context
Step into the charming world of American folk art with *Chalkware Greyhound*, a meticulous rendering by artist Gertrude Koch, created around 1941. This watercolor and graphite work on paperboard (27.9 x 38.2 cm) is part of the prestigious Index of American Design, a New Deal-era Federal Art Project under the Works Progress Administration (WPA). Launched in the 1930s, the IAD commissioned over 15,000 detailed illustrations by talented artists like Koch to document and celebrate the nation's decorative arts heritage, preserving objects that might otherwise fade into obscurity. The subject is a ...
About the Artist
Gertrude Koch
Gertrude Koch was an American artist active around 1935, best known for her meticulous contributions to the Index of American Design, a landmark Federal Art Project under the Works Progress Administration (WPA). Launched in 1935, this initiative employed artists across the United States to create precise watercolor renderings of everyday folk art objects, preserving a visual record of America's ve...