Measure
c. 1940
Medium
watercolor and graphite on paperboard
Dimensions
overall: 35.6 x 27.9 cm (14 x 11 in.) Original IAD Object: 8 1/4" high; 4 5/8" wide
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.12584
Art Historical Context
"Measure," created around 1940 by artist Hester Duany, is a delicate watercolor and graphite rendering on paperboard, measuring 35.6 x 27.9 cm. Part of the esteemed Index of American Design (IAD), this work captures a modest American folk object—originally 8¼ inches high and 4⅝ inches wide—showcasing the precision and beauty of everyday craftsmanship from America's past. The IAD, a Federal Art Project under the Works Progress Administration (WPA) from 1935 to 1942, employed hundreds of artists during the Great Depression to document the nation's material culture. Duany's contribution exemplif...
About the Artist
Hester Duany
Hester Duany (1891–1964) was an American artist best known for her meticulous renderings of traditional American folk art objects as part of the Index of American Design, a Federal Art Project under the Works Progress Administration (WPA) from 1935 to 1942. Working out of the New York City Project, Duany contributed dozens of watercolor and graphite drawings on paperboard that captured the intrica...