House and Garden
Medium
Lithograph
Dimensions
image: 11 1/4 x 13 in. (28.6 x 33 cm) sheet: 13 x 17 in. (33 x 43.2 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
WPA New York Project, 1943
Accession Number
43.47.293
Rights
Public Domain
Tags
Art Historical Context
**House and Garden** is a charming lithograph by Marguerite Red Dorgeloh, between 1935 and 1943 as part of the Works Progress (WPA) New York Project. Measuring 11¼ x 13 inches, this print captures a serene domestic scene of a house nestled amid lush gardens, evoking the beauty of everyday American life. Dorgeloh, an artist supported by the WPA, contributed to a vibrant tradition of printmaking that made art accessible to the public during the Great DepressionLithography, the medium here, was ideal for WPA projects: artists drew directly on stone with greasy crayon, allowing ink to adhere only to those areas for multiple impressions on paper. This technique democratized art, producing affordable prints that could adorn homes and public spaces. The WPA's Federal Art Project employed thousands of artists like Dorgeloh, fostering regionalism and scenes of urban and rural America amid economic hardship. Today, housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department, **House and Garden** reflects the era's emphasis on community and nature's solace. Its simple composition invites visitors to appreciate how WPA initiatives preserved artistic talent and enriched cultural life, turning personal visions into shared heritage.
About the Artist
Marguerite Redman Dorgeloh|WPA · 1890–1944
Marguerite Redman Dorgeloh (1890–1944) was a prolific American printmaker and painter whose lithographs captured the architectural charm and everyday scenes of San Francisco during the Great Depression era. Born on December 14, 1890, in Watsonville, California, to farmer Christy Gentry Redman, she pursued formal training at the California School of Fine Arts in San Francisco—now the San Francisco ...