Drawing on America's Past: Folk Art, Modernism, and the Index of American Design

November 27, 2002-March 2, 2003

Overview: This exhibition, which explored the techniques and artistic accomplishments of the Index of American Design project of the federal Works Progress Administration featured 79 watercolor renderings representing quilts, toys, carousel animals, tavern signs, cigar-store figures, and other objects. 37 additional objects borrowed from public and private collections were shown with the related watercolors. The exhibition celebrated the 60th anniversary of the Gallery's acquisition of the Index of American Design.

The exhibition was organized by the National Gallery of Art, Washington. The curator was Virginia Tuttle Clayton, associate curator of old master prints. The exhibition and catalogue were made possible by the Henry Luce Foundation.

A selection of films about American life made between 1935 and 1942 was shown intermittently in the East Building Large Auditorium.

Attendance: 117,294 (96 days)

Location: West Building, Ground Floor, Central Gallery

Catalogue: Drawing on America's Past: Folk Art, Modernism, and the Index of American Design by Virginia Tuttle Clayton, Elizabeth Stillinger, Erika Doss, and Deborah Chotner. Washington, DC: National Gallery of Art, 2002.

Brochure: Drawing on America's Past: Folk Art, Modernism, and the Index of American Design by Virginia Tuttle Clayton.

Web site: Exhibition information was linked to online thematic tours of selected watercolors from the Index of American Design. A special Web feature concerning the Index of American Design and archival sources was inspired by the exhibition. Related Online Resources

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