Coverlet
c. 1937
Medium
watercolor, gouache, and pen and ink on paper
Dimensions
overall: 35.6 x 26.4 cm (14 x 10 3/8 in.) Original IAD Object: 10 3/4" wide; 8 1/2" long
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.677
Art Historical Context
This vibrant rendering of a *Coverlet* by Ruth M. Barnes, created 1937, captures the intricate patterns of an American folk textile tradition. Executed in watercolor, gouache, and and ink on paper (35.6 x 26.4 cm), it documents a coverlet design measuring 10 3/4 x 8 1/2 inches. Barnes's precise line work and layered colors bring to life the geometric motifs and woven textures typical of early American bedcovers, highlighting the craftsmanship of everyday domestic arts. As part of the Index of American Design—a New Deal-era Federal Art Project (1935–1942)—this artwork served a vital cultural m...
About the Artist
Ruth M. Barnes
Ruth M. Barnes (1880–1954) was an American artist best known for her meticulous watercolor renderings of traditional American folk textiles as part of the Index of American Design, a Federal Art Project under the Works Progress Administration (WPA). Active during the Great Depression era from roughly 1935 to 1942, Barnes contributed dozens of detailed studies to this ambitious initiative, which em...