Woven Coverlet

Art Historical Context

This delicate watercolor and graphite rendering captures a traditional American woven coverlet, originally measuring an impressive 104 inches square. Created around 1936 by Elizabeth Valentine as part of the Index of American Design, the work belongs to a New Deal initiative that employed artists to document the nation’s decorative arts and material culture during the Great Depression. Through precise illustration, such pieces preserved the intricate patterns and craftsmanship of everyday objects like textiles that might otherwise have been lost to time or wear. Valentine’s choice of watercol...