Dress
c. 1936
Medium
watercolor, graphite, and gouache on paper
Dimensions
overall: 44.5 x 37.3 cm (17 1/2 x 14 11/16 in.)
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.2699
Art Historical Context
Hedwig Emanuel's *Dress* (c. 1936) is a captivating rendering from the Index of American Design, a WPA Federal Art Project initiative launched in 1935. This ambitious program employed artists across the U.S. to document everyday objects of American material culture—from folk art to fashion—through precise, colorful illustrations. Emanuel, a skilled draftsman specializing in textiles, captured the essence of this garment, preserving a slice of 1930s style amid the Great Depression. Rendered in watercolor, graphite, and gouache on paper (44.5 x 37.3 cm), the work showcases meticulous mixed-medi...