Quilt (Section)
c. 1936
Medium
watercolor and graphite on paper
Dimensions
overall: 35.6 x 26.6 cm (14 x 10 1/2 in.)
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.308
Art Historical Context
This delicate watercolor and graphite rendering, titled *Quilt (Section)*, was created by Ruth M. Barnes around 1936 as part of the Index of American Design—a monumental Federal Art Project under the Works Progress Administration (WPA). Launched during the Great Depression, the Index aimed to celebrate and preserve America's rich folk art heritage by commissioning artists to document everyday objects, crafts, and designs through precise, full-color illustrations. Barnes' work captures a detailed section of a traditional American quilt, highlighting the intricate patterns and craftsmanship that...
About the Artist
Ruth M. Barnes
Ruth M. Barnes (1880–1954) was an American artist best known for her meticulous watercolor renderings of traditional American folk textiles as part of the Index of American Design, a Federal Art Project under the Works Progress Administration (WPA). Active during the Great Depression era from roughly 1935 to 1942, Barnes contributed dozens of detailed studies to this ambitious initiative, which em...