Wall Paper Border Design
c. 1937
Medium
watercolor and graphite on paperboard
Dimensions
overall: 38 x 50.4 cm (14 15/16 x 19 13/16 in.)
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.16014
Art Historical Context
**Wall Paper Border Design** by Frances Lichten, created around 1937, is a delicate watercolor and graphite rendering on paperboard, measuring 38 x 50.4 cm. This captures the intricate patterns of an American wallpaper border, showcasing Lichten's skill in blending vibrant colors with precise line work. The use of watercolor allowed for subtle gradations and luminosity, while graphite provided sharp detailing, making it a faithful study of decorative motifs typical of early 20th-century domestic design. As part of the **Index of American Design**IAD), a groundbreaking WPA Federal Art Project ...
About the Artist
Frances Lichten
Frances Lichten was born in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, in 1889. At fourteen she enrolled in the Pennsylvania Museum School of Industrial Art, where she studied design and interior decoration, while also pursuing landscape painting at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts. After graduating she worked as a commercial artist for nearly a decade, building the technical foundation that would later serve...