Statuette

Art Historical Context

This delicate pen and ink drawing, titled *Statuette*, was created around 1939 by Yolande Del as part of the Index of American Design. Measuring 43.4 x 35 cm, it exemplifies the project's mission to meticulously document everyday American objects, folk art, and decorative designs through precise artistic renderings. Housed in the National Gallery of Art's-W department and credited to the Index itself, the work captures the elegance of a statuette—likely a humble yet culturally resonant artifact from American material history. The Index of American Design, a Federal Art Project under the Works Progress Administration (WPA) during the Great Depression, employed artists like Delasser to celebrate the nation's artistic heritage amid economic hardship. From 1935 to 1942, over 15,000 such watercolors and drawings preserved regional crafts, from quilts to furniture, fostering national pride and supporting artists. Delasser's fine pen work highlights the technique's strength: intricate linework that conveys texture, form, and shadow with remarkable clarity on paper, making the ordinary extraordinary. For visitors, this piece offers a window into 1930s America, where art met preservation to honor everyday ingenuity. It's a testament to how simple tools—pen and ink—immortalized cultural treasures for future generations.

About the Artist

Yolande Delasser · 1855–present

Yolande Delasser was an American artist active during the mid-1930s, best known for her meticulous contributions to the Index of American Design, a Federal Art Project under the Works Progress Administration (WPA). Amid the Great Depression, this ambitious New Deal initiative commissioned artists to document America's rich heritage of folk art and utilitarian objects through precise watercolor ren...