Plane
c. 1939
Medium
watercolor, graphite, and colored pencil on paper
Dimensions
overall: 26.7 x 35.5 cm (10 1/2 x 14 in.) Original IAD Object: 2" high; 2 1/2" wide; 10" long
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.13292
Art Historical Context
Mary Hansen's *Plane* (c. 1939) is a captivating watercolor, graphite, and colored pencil rendering on paper, measuring 26.7 x 35.5 cm. Created as part of the Index of American Design—a landmark Works Progress Administration (WPA) project during the Great Depression—this artwork meticulously documents a traditional woodworking plane, an everyday tool measuring 2 inches high, 2½ inches wide, and 10 inches long. Housed in the National Gallery of Art, it exemplifies the era's commitment to preserving America's folk craft heritage through artistic precision. The Index of American Design, active f...