Locket

Art Historical Context

**Locket** *Vincent Burzy, 1935/1942* Watercolor, graphite, andache on paperboard, 29.5 × 22.7 cm Index of American Design, National of Art Vincent Burzy's *Locket* is a rendering from the Index of American Design, a WPA Federal Art Project (1935–1942) that employed artists to document everyday American objects through vibrant, detailed illustrations. This watercolor, graphite, and gou work on paperboard captures a sentimental locket—likely a piece of folk jewelry—highlighting its intricate craftsmanship and cultural resonance in early 20th-century America. Created during the Great Depression, the Index preserved vanishing traditions of American decorative arts, from quilts to tools, ensuring their legacy for future generations. Burzy's piece exemplifies the project's goal: to celebrate regional ingenuity and historical artifacts that embodied national identity. The mixed-media technique—graphite for precise lines, gouache for opaque richness, and watercolor for subtle tones—brings the locket's textures and gleam to life on a modest 11⅝ × 8¾-inch sheet. Housed in the National Gallery of Art, it invites visitors to appreciate how ordinary items reflect profound stories of love, memory, and artistry. (198 words)