Figured Material from Quilt

Art Historical Context

**Figured Material from Quilt** Dorothy Posten, created around 1936, captures the intricate patterns of traditional American quilt fabric in watercolor, gouache, and on paper (28 x 35.5 cm). This work belongs to the *Index of American Design*, monumental WPA Federal Art Project from the Great Depression era (1935–1942), where artists like Posten meticulously documented everyday to celebrate the nation's folk art heritage. Posten's rendering highlights the vibrant colors and precise motifs of quilt materials, using gouache for bold, opaque hues and graphite for fine details—a technique ideal for reproducing textiles' textures and complexity. Quilts, born from necessity and ingenuity, embodied American craftsmanship, with "figured" designs often featuring floral, geometric, or symbolic patterns pieced from scraps. Displayed in the National Gallery of Art's CG-W department, this piece underscores the IAD's mission to preserve cultural identity amid economic hardship. It invites visitors to appreciate how ordinary fabrics wove stories of resilience and creativity into the American tapestry.

About the Artist

Dorothy Posten · 1855–present

Dorothy Posten was an American artist active during the mid-1930s, best known for her meticulous contributions to the Index of American Design, a Federal Art Project initiative under the Works Progress Administration (WPA). Launched in 1935, this ambitious endeavor employed artists across the United States to document the nation's folk art, crafts, and decorative traditions through detailed render...