Plate
c. 1938
Medium
watercolor, graphite, gouache, and pen ink on paperboard
Dimensions
overall: 45.1 x 35.5 cm (17 3/4 x 14 in.) Original IAD Object: 8 7/8" Dia 7/8" Deep(interior) 6 1/4" Wide(interior) 1 3/16" High(exter)
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.7316
Art Historical Context
This vibrant rendering of a humble yet elegantly crafted plate, created by artist Byron Dingman around 1938, captures the essence of American folk design through meticulous detail. Part of the National Gallery of's renowned Index of American Design collection, the work depicts an original object measuring 8 7/8 inches in diameter, with an interior depth of 7/8 inch, width of 6 1/4 inches, and exterior height of 1 3/16 inches—likely a shallow dish or plate showcasing everyday craftsmanship from America's past. Produced under the Federal Art Project of the Works Progress Administration (WPA) du...
About the Artist
Byron Dingman
Byron Dingman (1886–1951) was an American artist whose career, though sparsely documented in personal terms, gained significance through his contributions to the Index of American Design, a New Deal-era Federal Art Project under the Works Progress Administration (WPA). Active primarily in the late 1930s and early 1940s, Dingman produced meticulous renderings of everyday American folk art objects, ...