Hand Holds
Medium
watercolor, graphite, and colored pencil on paperboard
Dimensions
overall: 24.3 x 35 cm (9 9/16 x 13 3/4 in.)
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.11425
Art Historical Context
"Hand Holds" is a watercolor, graphite, and colored pencil by Alexander Anderson, created in 1940 as part of the Index of American Design. This ambitious New Deal-era project, sponsored by the Works Progress Administration (WPA) from 1935 to 1942, employed artists across the United States to document everyday objects embodying America's folk art and decorative traditions. Anderson's precise depiction captures the utilitarian beauty of hand holds—likely functional hardware or architectural elements—highlighting their role in everyday American life and craftsmanship. Rendered on paperboard meas...