Rattle

Art Historical Context

Behold the delicate rendering *Rattle* by William Kieckhofel, created between 1935 and 1942 as part of the Index of American Design. This watercolor and graphite work on paper, measuring 26.9 x 36.8 cm, captures the essence of an everyday American folk object—a charming rattle—through meticulous detail and vibrant color. Housed in the National Gallery of Art, it exemplifies the Index's mission to celebrate the nation's artistic heritage. The Index of American Design, a Works Progress Administration (WPA) project during the Great Depression, employed artists like Kieckhofel to document vanishing crafts and designs. Using watercolor for lifelike hues and graphite for precise contours, these renderings preserved cultural artifacts with scientific accuracy, blending artistry and scholarship. Kieckhofel's piece highlights the ingenuity of American folk traditions, likely evoking a handmade toy that brought joy to children amid economic hardship. Today, *Rattle* reminds us of the WPA's role in fostering creativity and cultural memory, offering a window into pre-industrial craftsmanship and the simple beauty of American design. A testament to resilience and tradition, it invites visitors to appreciate the artistry in the ordinary.

About the Artist

William Kieckhofel · 1855–present

William Kieckhofel was an American artist active in the 1930s and early 1940s, best known for his contributions to the Index of American Design, the ambitious New Deal-era documentation project administered under the Federal Art Project of the Works Progress Administration. Working in watercolor, colored pencil, and graphite on paper, Kieckhofel produced meticulous renderings of American decorativ...