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...