Zoar Decorated Painting
c. 1938
Medium
watercolor, graphite, gouache, and pen and ink on paperboard
Dimensions
overall: 29.1 x 37 cm (11 7/16 x 14 9/16 in.) Original IAD Object: 10" wide; 7 1/2" high
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.3844
Art Historical Context
Created around 1938 by artist Jerry Guinta,Zoar Decorated Painting is a meticulous rendering from the Index of American Design (IAD), a Works Progress Administration (WPA) during the Great Depression. This ambitious initiative employed artists to document America's folk and decorative arts through detailed, full-color reproductions, preserving cultural heritage at risk of being lost. Guinta's piece captures the vibrant aesthetic of painted decorations from the utopian community of Zoar,, founded in 1817 by religious separatists seeking a simple, communal life. Measuring 29.1 x 37 cm, the work...