Coverlet
c. 1937
Medium
watercolor and gouache on paper
Dimensions
overall: 35.7 x 26.5 cm (14 1/16 x 10 7/16 in.) Original IAD Object: 10" wide; 8 3/4" long
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.675
Art Historical Context
**Coverlet**, a delicate watercolor and gouache rendering by Ruth M. Barnes around 1937, captures the intricate beauty of an American folk textile. Measuring 35.7 x 26.5 cm (14 1/16 x 10 7/16 in.), this work depicts an original coverlet just 10 inches wide by 8 3/4 inches long—likely a cherished quilt or woven bedcover sample from early American craftsmanship. Barnes's precise use of watercolor for subtle shading and gouache for bold, opaque colors brings the fabric's patterns and textures to life on paper, showcasing the medium's versatility in documentary art. Created as part of the Index o...
About the Artist
Ruth M. Barnes
Ruth M. Barnes (1880–1954) was an American artist best known for her meticulous watercolor renderings of traditional American folk textiles as part of the Index of American Design, a Federal Art Project under the Works Progress Administration (WPA). Active during the Great Depression era from roughly 1935 to 1942, Barnes contributed dozens of detailed studies to this ambitious initiative, which em...