Plate - "View of Washington"
c. 1936
Medium
black and white photograph
Dimensions
overall: 20.3 x 25.4 cm (8 x 10 in.) Original IAD Object: 7 3/8" in diameter
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.17910
Art Historical Context
Behold the captivating *Plate - "View of"*, a black-and-white photograph by Helmut Hiatt, created around 1936. This precise 8 x 10 inch image (20.3 x 25.4 cm) documents a charming decorative plate, originally 7 3/8 inches in diameter, surface adorned with a scenic view of Washington—likely evoking the grandeur of the nation's capital during a time of economic hardship. As part of the Index of American Design (IAD), a WPA Federal Art Project from 1935 to 1942, Hiatt's served a vital purpose: preserving America's folk and decorative arts through meticulous documentation. Housed in the National ...
About the Artist
Helmut Hiatt
Helmut Hiatt was an American photographer active in the mid-1930s, best known for his contributions to the Index of American Design, a monumental Federal Art Project under the Works Progress Administration (WPA). This ambitious New Deal initiative sought to document and celebrate the nation's folk arts and crafts through detailed renderings and photographs, capturing the essence of everyday Americ...