Latch for Double Swing Gate

Art Historical Context

Step into the inventive world of American craftsmanship with *Latch for Double Swing Gate*, meticulous graphite drawing on paperboard by Maurice Van, created around 1939. Measuring 35.6 x 24.8 cm, this work captures the intricate details of a functional gate latch with precise lines and subtle shading, highlighting the elegance of everyday hardware design. This artwork is a gem from the Index of American Design, a WPA Federal Art Project launched during the Great Depression. Artists like Van Felix documented thousands of folk art objects, tools, and decorative items to preserve America's cultural heritage amid economic hardship. By rendering utilitarian pieces like this latch in graphite—a medium prized for its accuracy and versatility—the Index celebrated the artistry in ordinary life, bridging fine art and industrial design. Today, housed in the National Gallery of Art's CG-W department, it reminds us how simple mechanisms embodied regional ingenuity, from blacksmith forges to frontier gates. A testament to New Deal-era creativity, it invites visitors to appreciate the hidden beauty in the hardware that shaped American homes and landscapes.

About the Artist

Maurice Van Felix

Maurice Van Felix was born on March 16, 1889, in Łódź, Poland, and later became a prominent figure in American art circles after immigrating to the United States. His early training took place in Poland and France, where he honed his skills as a painter and etcher before settling in Brooklyn, New York, by 1919. Though details of his formal education remain sparse, Van Felix quickly established him...