Watch Key
c. 1938
Medium
watercolor and graphite on paperboard
Dimensions
overall: 22.9 x 28 cm (9 x 11 in.)
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.2481
Art Historical Context
Harry Grossen's *Watch Key* (c. 1938) is a meticulous watercolor and graphite rendering on paperboard, capturing the intricate details of a small but essential tool from America's material culture. Measuring 22.9 x 28 cm, this work belongs to the Index of American Design (IAD), a landmark WPA Federal Art Project (1935–1942) that employed artists during the Great Depression to document everyday American objects through precise, realistic depictions. Grossen, like his IAD peers, focused on folk art and crafts, preserving their form, texture, and ornamentation for posterity. The watch key itself...