Reel

Art Historical Context

**Reel** by Florence Truelson, between 1935 and1942, is a rendering from the Index of American Design, a WPA Federal Art Project that employed artists during the Great Depression to document the nation's folk art and crafts. This mixed-media work—watercolor, graphite, gouache,, and ink on paper—measures 30.5 x 23.1 cm and meticulously captures an original American design object measuring 35½ inches high by 30 inches wide, likely a functional folk artifact like a fishing or yarn reel, highlighting everyday ingenuity in early American life. Truelson's precise technique exemplifies the Index's goal: to produce accurate, colorful plates that preserve vanishing traditions for future generations. By blending delicate washes of watercolor and gouache with fine graphite details and ink outlines, she brings the object's form, texture, and craftsmanship to life, evoking the resourcefulness of rural makers. Housed in the National Gallery of Art's collection, **Reel** underscores the cultural importance of utilitarian designs, celebrating America's democratic heritage through art that bridges history and accessibility. Today, it invites us to appreciate how such humble objects reflect broader stories of innovation and endurance. (198 words)

About the Artist

Florence Truelson · 1901–1959

Florence Truelson is an artist whose biographical details remain largely undocumented in the major art historical sources. No confirmed dates of birth or death have been established, and her nationality, training, and primary working period are not reliably recorded in available scholarship. Works attributed to Truelson suggest a practiced hand and an awareness of the artistic conventions of her ...