Pa. German Covered Bowl
c. 1938
Medium
watercolor, graphite, and colored pencil on paperboard
Dimensions
overall: 24.4 x 35.9 cm (9 5/8 x 14 1/8 in.) Original IAD Object: 5 3/4" High 4 3/4" Dia
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.7499
Art Historical Context
This delicate rendering captures a traditional Pennsylvania German covered bowl, a form of folk pottery prized for its practical design and cultural heritage. Created around 1938 by artist Alvin Shiren as part of the Index of American Design, the work documents an original vessel measuring just 5 ¾ inches high and 4 ¾ inches in diameter. The project, undertaken during the Great Depression, aimed to record America’s decorative arts traditions through precise illustrations before such everyday objects disappeared from use. Shiren employed watercolor, graphite, and colored pencil on paperboard t...