Platter - "North Carolina Arms"
c. 1936
Medium
black and white photograph
Dimensions
overall: 20.3 x 25.4 cm (8 x 10 in.) Original IAD Object: 14 3/4" long; 11 1/2" high
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.17906
Art Historical Context
Behold the *Platter - "North Arms"*, a striking black-and-white photograph captured 1936 by Helmut Hiatt. Measuring 8 x 10 inches, this image meticulously documents a historic platter—originally 14¾ inches long and 11½ inches high—adorned with the heraldic emblem of North Carolina. Hiatt's precise photographic technique captures every intricate detail of the platter's form and decoration, preserving its elegance for posterity. This artwork is a gem from the Index of American Design (IAD), a ambitious Works Progress Administration (WPA project launched during the Great Depression. From 1935 to...
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...