Trivet

Art Historical Context

**Trivet**, a delicate watercolor and graphite rendering by Violet Hartenstein around 1942, captures the charm of an everyday American household object—a trivet, used to protect surfaces from hot pots and irons. Measuring 36.9 x 29 cm, this work is part of the *Index of American Design*, monumental WPA Federal Art Project from the 1930s and 1940s. During the Great Depression, artists Hartenstein were commissioned document folk art and design across the U.S., preserving cultural artifacts through precise, colorful illustrations. Hartenstein's technique blends soft watercolor washes for texture and depth with meticulous graphite lines for intricate details, faithfully reproducing the trivets's form, patterns, and materials. This hybrid medium was ideal for the Index's goal: creating an encyclopedic visual archive that highlighted regional craftsmanship, from colonial pewter to Shaker simplicity. Housed in the National Gallery of Art's collection, *Trivet* exemplifies how the project celebrated utilitarian beauty in American life, bridging art and everyday heritage. It reminds us of the ingenuity of past makers and the artists who immortalized them, offering a window into mid-20th-century appreciation for our nation's design roots. (198 words)