Valance
1935/1942
Medium
watercolor and graphite on paper
Dimensions
overall: 33 x 54.8 cm (13 x 21 9/16 in.) Original IAD Object: 11 1/4" high; 20 1/2" long
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.2519
Art Historical Context
"Valance" is a delicate watercolor and graphite rendering created by Suzanne Chapman between 1935 and 1942 as part of the Index of American Design. This ambitious federal project, launched during the Great Depression, employed artists across the country to document historic American decorative arts through precise, full-color illustrations. Chapman’s work faithfully records an original textile valance measuring just 11¼ inches high and 20½ inches long, preserving its pattern, texture, and proportions for future study. The choice of watercolor over graphite allowed Chapman to capture subtle co...