Design
1935/1942
Medium
watercolor and graphite on paperboard
Dimensions
overall: 28 x 23.1 cm (11 x 9 1/8 in.)
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.7074
Art Historical Context
Hedwig Emanuel's *Design* (1935/1942), a delicate watercolor and graphite rendering on paperboard measuring 28 x 23.1 cm, captures the essence of American craftsmanship through meticulous detail. Created as part of the Index of American Design, this work exemplifies the precision of Emanuel's technique, blending vibrant washes of watercolor with fine graphite lines to document an everyday object or motif from America's decorative arts tradition. The Index of American Design was a landmark project of the Works Progress Administration (WPA) Federal Art Project, launched in 1935 amid the Great D...