Bonnet
c. 1937
Medium
watercolor, graphite, and pen and ink on paper
Dimensions
overall: 46 x 35 cm (18 1/8 x 13 3/4 in.)
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.1072
Art Historical Context
Lillian Causey's *Bonnet* (c. 1937) is a delicate watercolor, graphite, and pen-and-ink rendering on paper, measuring 46 x 35 cm. Created as part of the Index of American Design—a groundbreaking Federal Art Project under the Works Progress Administration (WPA)—this work captures the intricate details of a traditional American bonnet, likely from the 19th century. Causey, one of over 400 artists involved in the Index, employed precise techniques to document everyday objects, blending soft watercolor washes for texture with fine graphite outlines and ink accents for clarity and depth. The Index...
About the Artist
Lillian Causey
Lillian Causey (1889–1949) was an American artist best known for her meticulous watercolor and graphite renderings of everyday American folk objects, created as part of the Index of American Design (IAD), a Federal Art Project under the Works Progress Administration (WPA). Active primarily between 1935 and 1942, Causey contributed hundreds of detailed illustrations to this ambitious New Deal initi...