National Gallery of Art, Washington, January 16–June 6, 2027

Between 1935 and 1942, the US government commissioned over 18,000 watercolors from roughly 1,000 artists to create a comprehensive visual resource of American folk, decorative, and industrial art. Known as the Index of American Design, the initiative was one of many Federal Art Projects undertaken during the Great Depression. The project sought to document and preserve an ancestral aesthetic for the United States, and to provide a foundation for building a truly American modern art tradition. The National Gallery of Art became the steward of this important collection in 1943. The first exhibition to focus on women's contributions to the project, Women and the Index of American Design showcases some 60 watercolors made by some 50 of the women who played a pivotal role in this patriotic effort. In addition, the exhibition will feature archival material, photographs, and technical studies from the project.

The focused installation highlights watercolors by Hal Blakeley, Rose Campbell-Gerke, Lucille Chabot, Suzanne Chapman, Dorothy Hay Jensen, Elizabeth Moutal, Selma Sandler, and Carmel Wilson, among others. The watercolors capture household objects selected as emblems of American design history—including embroideries, quilt designs, toys, and weather vanes. Carefully rendered and richly colored, these works reflect the objects' original purpose and serve as a lasting visual record of the evolution of American design.

About the Index of American Design

The Index of American Design was an ambitious, government-sponsored, national art project that operated under the auspices of the Federal Art Project of the Works Progress Administration. Described as a "great collaborative enterprise" by Holger Cahill, director of the Federal Art Project, the Index was active in 34 states and the District of Columbia between 1935 and 1942. It engaged some 1,000 artists—many struggling to find work during the Great Depression—who executed more than 18,000 watercolor renderings of applied, decorative, and folk art objects. This comprehensive, researched, visual resource charts the development of American design from the colonial period through the 19th century, identifying sources and trends while preserving design history.

Through every phase of the project, women played a central role. Artist Ruth Reeves (1892–1966) conceived the Index in collaboration with Romana Javitz (1903–1980), picture librarian at the New York Public Library. The renowned cultural historian Constance Rourke (1885–1941) served as the Index's first national editor, directing the selection and research of objects to be illustrated. Artist-illustrator Suzanne Chapman (1904–1990) was primarily responsible for codifying and teaching the watercolor techniques used to ensure the accuracy and consistency of the renderings. The Index offered more opportunities to more American women artists than other programs in the Federal Art Project did, including leadership roles as state supervisors. More than 300 women artists created renderings for the Index.

Exhibition Organization and Support

Women and the Index of American Design is organized by the National Gallery of Art, Washington.

Exhibition Curator

The exhibition is curated by Amy Johnston, associate curator, division of prints and drawings, National Gallery of Art.

In the Library: Reimagining America by Design

The National Gallery of Art Library presents In the Library: Reimaging America by Design, a collaboration with the Corcoran School of the Arts & Design at George Washington University. The installations resulted from a Corcoran course called Reimagining America by Design that was held at the National Gallery in spring 2026. In the final group projects, students were asked to design installations for the library cases at the National Gallery. The initial concepts resulted in two separate themed installations, planned to complement Women and the Index of American Design.

For the installations, the students used the Index and related National Gallery resources to pair reproductions and archival materials with their own drawings, 3D-printed replicas, and trading cards. The first, Research & Process (August 31–October 30, 2026) presents the students’ assignments and discoveries made while working with the Index. The installation focuses on the learning and research methodologies developed during their course, combining material from the library and archives with student-produced works.

Work & Play (November 2–December 31, 2026) explores a selection of objects from the Index of American Design that were made for children. It combines student works with materials related to toys, games, dolls, and figurines from the National Gallery’s collection.

Organized by the National Gallery of Art, Washington, this installation is curated by Jet Inglis, Gabi Maldonado, Gigi Pilla, Abby Turner, Sophia Wegmann-Gatarz, and Polyxeni Ziazia in collaboration with Kara Braciale, professorial lecturer at the Corcoran School of the Arts & Design at George Washington University and Matthew Westerby, digital research officer for the Center for Advanced Study in the Visual Arts at the National Gallery of Art.

In the Library: Reimaging America by Design is on view from August 31–December 31, 2026, in the East Building Library Atrium from 11:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except federal holidays.

About the National Gallery of Art

The National Gallery of Art welcomes all people to explore art, creativity, and our shared humanity. Millions of people come through its doors each year—with even more online—making it one of the most visited art museums in the world. The National Gallery's renowned collection includes over 160,000 works of art, from the ancient world to today. Admission to the West and East Buildings, Sculpture Garden, special exhibitions, and public programs is always free.