Ochre Editions
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The 20th century

Works made in the 20th century, anywhere in the world.

189 works · hang 2318 ·

The rooms are imagined; every work on their walls is real.

Walk this roomRehang this room

Section 1, north wall

  1. Self-Portrait, by Abbott Handerson Thayer, 1920
    Self-PortraitAbbott Handerson Thayer, 1920Courtesy of the Cleveland Museum of Art
  2. A wooden mallet is displayed on a beige background. The mallet has a rounded handle and a broad head, showcasing earthy brown tones with variations in the wood grain. Positioned centrally, the mallet stands upright in the image.
    Potato MasherClarence W. Dawson, c. 1940Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington

Section 1, south wall

  1. The image displays a vintage mechanical bank with a brick-patterned tower on the left and a soldier figure on the right, prepared to operate a cannon. The color scheme is mainly earthy tones including brown, bronze, and hints of gold, creating a retro metallic appearance. The label "ARTILLERY BANK" is engraved on the base in front of the cannon.
    Mechanical Artillery BankAlf Bruseth, c. 1940Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington
  2. The image depicts a detailed illustration of a dress with exaggerated puff sleeves and ruffles towards the bottom. It is created using a dotted pattern with red accents around the edges and seams. The color palette consists of mostly muted tones with touches of red. The dress is positioned in the upper right quadrant of the image, while a smaller, less detailed sketch of the same dress without colors is located in the lower left quadrant.
    Child's DressRay Price, c. 1937Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington
  3. The image shows a small intricately decorated wooden structure with an arched top and a central door flanked by two metal hinges. The structure is painted with a floral and vine motif in colors such as red, green, and yellow on a light background. The wooden door has a textured appearance. The object is positioned centrally with the door facing forward, placed on a slightly elevated base with two footings extending forward. The overall look is ornate and symmetrical, showcasing detailed design work.
    Tabernacle (Ecclesiastical Furniture)Cornelius Christoffels, c. 1938Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington

Section 2, south wall

  1. The image shows a large, copper-colored pitcher with a hammered texture and a curving handle on the right side. The color palette consists of muted, warm tones of copper and brown against a pale beige background. The pitcher is centrally placed in the image, with its handle positioned on the right side.
    Copper CruetEdward Jewett, 1937Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington
  2. This is a drawing of a decorative mirror. It presents a detailed design of an ornate mirror with two views: a front view and a sectional view. The mirror frame is embellished with elaborate motifs, including scrolls and floral elements. The sectional view shows the mirror's depth and structural details, indicating attention to construction. Measurements are included in inches, with title and notes providing context on the mirror's location and purpose as part of interior furnishings.
    MirrorB. Holst-Grubbe, 1935/1942Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington

Section 2, north wall

  1. A six-story, narrow building stands alone in an otherwise unoccupied lot under the deck of a high bridge, with a river and cityscape in the background in this horizontal painting. Dozens of people, small in scale, are each painted with a few swipes of black and some with peach-colored faces. They gather at the foot of the building and around a fire to our left, near the lower left corner of the composition. The fire is painted with a dash of orange, a few touches of canary yellow, and a smudge of gray smoke. Several more people stand and sit against the building, which has a streetlamp near its entrance. The back end of the building angles away from us to our right, so we see the narrow, front entrance side to our left. Each of the six floors of the building has two windows with fire escape ladders on the narrow side we can see. Some strokes in red and white on the lower levels of the long, flat side of the building suggest signs or posters. The top story glows a warm sienna brown in sunlight, while the rest of the building and the scene below are in shadow. More people walk along a grayish-violet fence that encloses the lot beyond the building. The ground is painted thickly with slate gray, pale, sage green, and one smear of white to suggest snow. To our right and a short distance from us, a white horse pulls a carriage near the foot of the bridge. The ivory-white, concrete piling rises up and off the right edge of the canvas and supports the deck of the bridge above. Only a sliver of the brick-red underside of the bridge is visible, skimming the top edge of the painting in the upper right corner. Two twiggy, barren trees grow up beyond the muted purple fence, and the landscape beyond is bright in the sunlight. A terracotta-orange building rises along the left edge of the painting, with the area between it and the lot under the bridge filled with thickly painted patches of butter yellow, amethyst purple, and sage green. Beyond that, an ice-blue river flows across the composition. The shore beyond is lined with patches of beige and tan paint that could be buildings. A black tugboat puffs bright white smoke in the river. The sky above is frosty white. The artist signed the work with dark blue in the lower left corner of the painting, “Geo Bellows.”
    The Lone TenementGeorge Bellows, 1909Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington
  2. The sculpture is a depiction of a horse's head crafted from a dark material that appears to be metal. The horse's ears are perked up, and its mane is depicted with smooth, curving lines trailing down the back of the neck. The sculpture includes a ring that extends from the horse's mouth. Positioned on a simple cylindrical pedestal, the sculpture's material and design suggest a robust and timeless feel. The details of the horse's expression and mane are rendered with a smooth finish.
    Hitching PostAlbert Ryder, c. 1938Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington

Section 3, north wall

  1. This is a painting of a decorative box with pastoral scenes. The box has an oval lid and rectangular base adorned with intricate pastoral scenes in earthy tones. The scenes depict landscapes with trees, hills, and figures engaged in various activities against a warm backdrop. The lid has a similar scene, creating a cohesive decorative theme. The style resembles 19th-century European art focusing on pastoral genre scenes and decorative arts. The artwork delicately balances detail and composition, evoking calm and nostalgia.
    BandboxJohn Tarantino, c. 1937Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington
  2. The image shows a wooden frame with six vertical cylindrical pegs evenly spaced. The color palette consists of light and medium brown tones. The structure is angled to the right with four visible legs. In the bottom left corner, there is a smaller sketched diagram with measurements.
    Candle MoldVincent P. Rosel, c. 1936Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington
  3. This is a painting of a carousel horse. The image shows a gray carousel horse with glossy highlights and shading. The horse has a blue and red saddle with gold bands, and a blue harness with red accents. The horse is mid-gallop, with animated legs. The background is plain to focus on the horse's design. The style is detailed and realistic, reminiscent of carousel art from the late 19th to early 20th century.
    Carousel HorseDorothy Handy, c. 1939Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington

Section 3, south wall

  1. Portrait of William E. Norton, by William Penhallow Henderson, 1901
    Portrait of William E. NortonWilliam Penhallow Henderson, 1901Courtesy of the Smithsonian American Art Museum
  2. The image shows a person standing upright. They have a round face with simple facial features, wearing a hat with a red flower and dark ribbon. Their outfit includes a belted dress or coat, pleated texture, a cape, and arm coverings. The person is holding a matching umbrella in their right hand. The background is plain and light tan.
    Corn Husk DollMina Lowry, c. 1936Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington

Section 4, south wall

  1. In the Generalife, by John Singer Sargent, 1912
    In the GeneralifeJohn Singer Sargent, 1912Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art
  2. Thomas Eakins
    Portrait of Mrs. Helen Mac Knight (Portrait of a Mother)Thomas Eakins, (c. 1903)Courtesy of the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Smithsonian Institution