Swatches from Patchwork Quilt
c. 1939
Medium
watercolor and graphite on paperboard
Dimensions
overall: 45.7 x 35.3 cm (18 x 13 7/8 in.)
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.3303
Art Historical Context
**Swatches from Patchwork** (c. 1939) by Henry Granet captures the vibrant essence of American folk art through meticulously rendered fabric samples from a traditional patchwork quilt. Created as part of the Index of American Design—a groundbreaking WPA Federal Art Project from 1935 to 1942—this watercolor and graphite drawing on paperboard documents everyday objects that embodied the nation's creative spirit. Granet, a skilled illustrator, contributed numerous such studies, helping to preserve cultural artifacts amid the Great Depression when many were at risk of being lost. Patchwork quilts...