Lantern

Art Historical Context

**Lantern** *Walter Hochstrasser, c. 1938* Watercolor, gouache, graphite on paperboard, 51 x 38.2 cm *Index of American Design, National Gallery of Art* Step into the glow of American ingenuity with Walter Hochstrasser's *Lantern*, a captivating rendering from the Index of American Design. Created around 1938, this artwork captures the essence of a lantern through meticulous watercolor, gouache, and on paperboard. These media allowed Hochstrasser to achieve luminous transparency in the glass and rich opacity in metallic surfaces, blending precision with subtle artistry to document an everyday object turned cultural treasure. As part of the Works Progress Administration's Federal Art Project during the Great Depression, the Index of American Design (1935–1942) commissioned artists like Hochstrasser to produce over 15,000 detailed studies of folk art and design. This effort preserved vanishing examples of American craftsmanship, from quilts to tools, fostering national pride in everyday heritage. *Lantern* exemplifies this mission, highlighting how simple designs illuminated homes and workshops, symbolizing resilience and resourcefulness. Today, housed in the National Gallery of Art, it invites us to appreciate the beauty in the functional—reminding visitors that history shines brightest in the objects we often overlook.

About the Artist

Walter Hochstrasser · 1901–1975

Walter Hochstrasser (1901–1975) was a Swiss-born American artist who became a significant contributor to the Index of American Design, the New Deal-era federal project that created a comprehensive visual archive of American folk and decorative arts. Born in Switzerland in 1901, Hochstrasser emigrated to the United States and established himself as a watercolorist of considerable technical skill. T...