Damask Coverlet

Art Historical Context

Katherine Hastings's *Damask Coverlet*c. 1938) is a meticulous rendering of a traditional American textile, capturing the intricate woven patterns of a 99-square damask bedcover. Created as part of the Index of American Design—a Works Progress Administration (WPA project during the Great Depression—this watercolor, gouache, and graphite on paperboard (51.1 x 38.2 cm) preserves the elegance of everyday American folk art for posterity. The Index of American Design, from 1935 to 1942, employed artists across the U.S. to document regional decorative objects through precise, colorful illustrations. Hastings, contributing to this effort, highlighted damask coverlets, which were prized 19th-century household items made from reversible jacquard-woven fabrics featuring floral or geometric motifs. These textiles symbolized craftsmanship and domestic comfort in early American homes. Rendered in vibrant watercolors for depth, opaque gouache for rich highlights, and fine graphite lines for detail, the piece exemplifies the project's goal of accurate replication. Today, housed in the National Gallery of Art, it invites visitors to appreciate how federal initiatives safeguarded cultural heritage amid economic hardship, bridging art, history, and design.

About the Artist

Katherine Hastings · 1855–present

Katherine Hastings was an American artist active during the 1930s, best known for her contributions to the Index of American Design, a New Deal-era project under the Works Progress Administration (WPA). This ambitious initiative commissioned artists across the United States to create precise watercolor renderings of everyday folk and decorative objects, preserving a visual record of the nation's m...