Entrance to Cutting House
c. 1938
Medium
watercolor, graphite, and colored pencil on paperboard
Dimensions
overall: 90.5 x 68.9 cm (35 5/8 x 27 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
1943.8.7752
Art Historical Context
This striking rendering, *Entrance to Cutting House* (c. 1938 was created by artist Lorenz Rothkranz as part of the Index of American Design, a Works Progress Administration initiative during the Great Depression. The project employed hundreds of artists to produce precise watercolor and drawing records of American decorative arts, architecture, and everyday objects, preserving visual documentation of the nation’s material culture at a time when many historic structures faced demolition or neglect. Rothkranz’s choice of watercolor, graphite, and colored pencil on paperboard allowed for both d...