Bread Dough Bowl
c. 1939
Medium
watercolor and graphite on paper
Dimensions
overall: 26.6 x 35.7 cm (10 1/2 x 14 1/16 in.) Original IAD Object: 20 1/2" long at top edge; 11 1/2" long at bottom; 3 1/4" high
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.8767
Art Historical Context
**Bread Dough Bowl**, a delicate watercolor and graphite rendering by artist Mary Hansen from around 1939, captures the of an American folk craft object. Part of the *Index of American Design*a Federal Art Project under the Works Progress Administration (WPA)—this work meticulously documents a bread dough bowl, measuring about 20½ inches long at the top tapering to 11½ inches at the bottom and standing 3¼ inches high. Created during the Great Depression, the Index aimed to celebrate and preserve everyday American design, from quilts to pottery, highlighting regional craftsmanship and cultural ...