Measure

Art Historical Context

"Measure," created around 1940 by artist Hester Duany, is a delicate watercolor and graphite rendering on paperboard, measuring 35.6 x 27.9 cm. Part of the esteemed Index of American Design (IAD), this work captures a modest American folk object—originally 8¼ inches high and 4⅝ inches wide—showcasing the precision and beauty of everyday craftsmanship from America's past. The IAD, a Federal Art Project under the Works Progress Administration (WPA) from 1935 to 1942, employed hundreds of artists during the Great Depression to document the nation's material culture. Duany's contribution exemplifies the project's mission: to produce meticulous, full-color studies of folk art, tools, and decorative objects, preserving their historical and aesthetic value for future generations. Housed in the National Gallery of Art's collection, these renderings blend artistic skill with scholarly accuracy. Duany's technique highlights the object's form and subtle details through fluid watercolors and fine graphite lines, emphasizing texture and function. As a window into pre-industrial American ingenuity, "Measure" invites visitors to appreciate how ordinary items embodied cultural identity and resourcefulness.

About the Artist

Hester Duany · 1891–1964

Hester Duany (1891–1964) was an American artist best known for her meticulous renderings of traditional American folk art objects as part of the Index of American Design, a Federal Art Project under the Works Progress Administration (WPA) from 1935 to 1942. Working out of the New York City Project, Duany contributed dozens of watercolor and graphite drawings on paperboard that captured the intrica...