Corset
c. 1941
Medium
watercolor, graphite, and colored pencil on paper
Dimensions
overall: 45.7 x 57.8 cm (18 x 22 3/4 in.) Original IAD Object: 17" at waist; 25" long
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.1208
Art Historical Context
In the early 1940s, artist John Thorsen contributed this exquisite rendering of a corset the *Index of American Design* (IAD), a landmark WPA Federal Art Project (1935–1942) that celebrated everyday American craftsmanship. Created around 1941, the watercolor, graphite, and pencil drawing meticulously documents a garment measuring 17 inches at the and 25 inches long capturing its intricate boning lacing, and fabric details with precision. Then's work exemplifies the I's mission to preserve and the nation's folk art and design heritage the Great Depression. Theet's form reflects 19th-century Am...