Quilt
c. 1937
Medium
watercolor and graphite on paperboard
Dimensions
overall: 35.7 x 29 cm (14 1/16 x 11 7/16 in.) Original IAD Object: 99" square
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.395
Art Historical Context
This delicate watercolor and graphite rendering on paperboard, titled *ilt* and created by Francis Law Durand 1937, captures intricate beauty of an American folk art masterpiece. Measuring 35.7 x 29 cm (14 1/16 x 11 7/16 in.), it meticulously documents a full-size quilt originally spanning 99 inches square. As part of the National Gallery of Art's collection, this work belongs to the Index of American, a landmark WPA Federal Art Project initiative. During the Great Depression, the Index employed artists across the U.S. to produce over 15,000 precise renderings of everyday American objects—fro...
About the Artist
Francis Law Durand
**Francis Law Durand (1906–1995)** Born on March 31, 1906, in Mount Holly, New Jersey, Francis Law Durand emerged as a skilled American draftsman and artist during the Great Depression era. Little is known about his early life or formal training, as biographical details remain sparsely documented beyond his professional output. By 1935, he was employed by the Works Progress Administration (WPA), ...