Wrought Iron Latch Lock
c. 1936
Medium
watercolor and graphite on paper
Dimensions
overall: 30.5 x 22.8 cm (12 x 9 in.)
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.12021
Art Historical Context
Step into the intricate world of American craftsmanship with *Wrought Iron Latch*, a meticulous rendering by artist Henry Meyers around 1936. This watercolor and graphite drawing on paper captures the elegant simplicity of a traditional wrought iron latch—a humble yet essential hardware piece from early American homes and workshops. Measuring 30.5 x 22.8 cm, it Meyers' skill in highlighting the lock's forged curves, sturdy form, and functional beauty, evoking the blacksmith's artistry of colonial and frontier eras. Created as part of the Index of American Design, a landmark WPA Federal Art Pr...
About the Artist
Henry Meyers
Henry Meyers was an American artist active during the 1930s and early 1940s, best known for his contributions to the Index of American Design, a monumental Works Progress Administration (WPA) project that sought to document the nation's rich heritage of folk art, crafts, and decorative objects. Operating under the Federal Art Project, Meyers produced precise, watercolor and graphite renderings of ...