Shaker Woman's Stocking
c. 1936
Medium
watercolor and graphite on paper
Dimensions
overall: 33 x 27.3 cm (13 x 10 3/4 in.)
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.13547
Art Historical Context
Behold the delicate *Shaker Woman's Stocking*, watercolor and graphite rendering by Betty Fuerst, 1936, measuring 13 x 10 3/4 inches. Created as part of the Index American Design—a ambitious WPA Art Project from the 1930s artwork exemplifies the era's effort document and celebrate everyday American crafts and traditions. Fuerst, one of over 400 artists involved, meticulously captured the humble elegant form of a Shaker stocking, preserving its cultural essence for future generations. akers, a 19-century religious community known for their austere yet functional aesthetic, crafted clothing tha...
About the Artist
Betty Fuerst
Betty Fuerst (1905–1984) was an American artist best known for her meticulous watercolor renderings documenting everyday objects of American folk art and craftsmanship as part of the Index of American Design, a Federal Art Project under the Works Progress Administration (WPA) from 1935 to 1942. Active primarily during this period, Fuerst contributed dozens of precise illustrations that captured th...