Shaker Basket
1935/1942
Medium
watercolor and graphite on paper
Dimensions
overall: 21.7 x 28.4 cm (8 9/16 x 11 3/16 in.)
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.13494
Art Historical Context
**Shaker Basket** by Alfred H. Smith created between 1935 and 1942, is a exquisite rendering from the Index of American Design, a Art Project under the Works Progress Administration (WPA) during the Great Depression. ambitious initiative employed artists across the U.S. to document everyday American folk art and crafts through precise, colorful illustrations, preserving cultural heritage at a time of economic hardship. Smith's watercolor and graphite on paper captures the understated elegance of Shaker craftsmanship, a testament to the sect's 19th-century communities known for their communal l...
About the Artist
Alfred H. Smith
Alfred H. Smith was an American artist active from around 1935 to 1953, best known for his meticulous watercolor and graphite drawings documenting American folk and decorative arts. Little is known about his early life or formal training, as biographical details remain sparsely documented beyond his contributions to federal art initiatives. During the Great Depression, Smith participated in the In...