Floor plan

Style galleriesAmerican folk and design

American folk and design

The image shows a translucent pitcher in soft, pale green with swirling, striped patterns and a curved handle. It is placed in the center of the frame, with a neutral off-white background. The spout faces slightly to the left and the handle curves from the right side.
The image shows a tall, narrow wooden table with a square top and four long, slender legs. The color palette is warm with shades of light brown and reddish-brown on the table. Positioned centrally, the table stands against a plain, light-colored background.
The image shows a green glass goblet with a textured, bubble-like pattern on the cup and a smooth stem. The color palette consists of shades of green with varying tones, depending on the glass's thickness and pattern. The goblet is positioned centrally, seen straight-on with the cup's pattern visible across its surface. It rests on a flat surface, slightly above the center of the image.
This is a drawing of two ornate elephants. The image depicts two stylized elephants, each adorned with decorative elements. Both elephants are shown carrying a structure on their backs, resembling a small tower or box with a red domed top. The left elephant is turned to the side, its trunk raised. The right elephant faces forward. Each structure on their backs is detailed with intricate designs, including a diamond shape on the side. The overall composition suggests a ceremonial or regal theme. The subtle use of colors like red and gold enhances the ornate appearance. The coloring and shading indicate an attention to detail typical of deliberately crafted illustrations.
This is a painting of a quilt design pattern. The image depicts a square quilt block featuring a variety of geometric shapes and patterns pieced together. The quilt features a mix of colors, including blues, reds, browns, and a pink border, with intricate patterns in the fabric segments. The textures and colors create an intricate optical composition resembling different geometric forms and depth. The piece is delicately framed within a larger white space, which emphasizes the detail of the quilt pattern. This is in the style of a traditional textile or quilting pattern illustrator.
This is a drawing of a furniture design with detailed measurements and decorative elements. The drawing depicts a piece of furniture with a combination of drawers and a cabinet, shown from the front and the side. Specific measurements are provided for various parts of the furniture, such as the width, height, and depth. The design features include a decorative carving in relief on the front panel, a detailed cross-section of the knob, and ornamental patterns on the side. The drawing is technical in nature, likely intended for crafting or woodworking purposes, emphasizing the detailed aspects needed for construction.

The works in this room are listed below.

Works in this room

The everyday art of early America, recorded in watercolour by the Index of American Design.

Section 1, north wall

  1. The image shows a translucent pitcher in soft, pale green with swirling, striped patterns and a curved handle. It is placed in the center of the frame, with a neutral off-white background. The spout faces slightly to the left and the handle curves from the right side.
    Glass PitcherBeverly Chichester, c. 1937Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington
  2. The image shows a tall, narrow wooden table with a square top and four long, slender legs. The color palette is warm with shades of light brown and reddish-brown on the table. Positioned centrally, the table stands against a plain, light-colored background.
    Shaker StandRay Holden, c. 1936Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington
  3. The image shows a green glass goblet with a textured, bubble-like pattern on the cup and a smooth stem. The color palette consists of shades of green with varying tones, depending on the glass's thickness and pattern. The goblet is positioned centrally, seen straight-on with the cup's pattern visible across its surface. It rests on a flat surface, slightly above the center of the image.
    GobletRonau William Woiceske, 1935/1942Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington

Section 1, south wall

  1. This is a drawing of two ornate elephants. The image depicts two stylized elephants, each adorned with decorative elements. Both elephants are shown carrying a structure on their backs, resembling a small tower or box with a red domed top. The left elephant is turned to the side, its trunk raised. The right elephant faces forward. Each structure on their backs is detailed with intricate designs, including a diamond shape on the side. The overall composition suggests a ceremonial or regal theme. The subtle use of colors like red and gold enhances the ornate appearance. The coloring and shading indicate an attention to detail typical of deliberately crafted illustrations.
    Iron Bank ElephantZ.S. Lupus, c. 1938Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington
  2. This is a painting of a quilt design pattern. The image depicts a square quilt block featuring a variety of geometric shapes and patterns pieced together. The quilt features a mix of colors, including blues, reds, browns, and a pink border, with intricate patterns in the fabric segments. The textures and colors create an intricate optical composition resembling different geometric forms and depth. The piece is delicately framed within a larger white space, which emphasizes the detail of the quilt pattern. This is in the style of a traditional textile or quilting pattern illustrator.
    Cotton Bed QuiltElgin Moncure Styll, c. 1941Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington
  3. This is a drawing of a furniture design with detailed measurements and decorative elements. The drawing depicts a piece of furniture with a combination of drawers and a cabinet, shown from the front and the side. Specific measurements are provided for various parts of the furniture, such as the width, height, and depth. The design features include a decorative carving in relief on the front panel, a detailed cross-section of the knob, and ornamental patterns on the side. The drawing is technical in nature, likely intended for crafting or woodworking purposes, emphasizing the detailed aspects needed for construction.
    Chest of DrawersFlorence Neal, 1935/1942Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington

Section 2, south wall

  1. This is a drawing of a wooden window shutter in a light-colored wall. The detailed study shows the craftsmanship of the shutter, with a focus on texture, form, wood grain, and panels. The aged and weathered texture suggests exposure to the elements. The shutter is secured with a metal latch in the center. The wall is subtly shaded to imply depth and setting, with slight distress marks adding to the aged ambiance of the scene.
    Sacristy Door at Mission San Juan BautistaEthel Dougan, 1938Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington
  2. The image shows a decorative curved object with intricate patterns. There is a large green peacock motif in the center, surrounded by floral and geometric patterns. The color palette includes soft pinks, greens, and blue accents outlining the curve of the object. The object is placed on a plain light background.
    BandboxNicholas Acampora, 1937Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington
  3. The image shows a large wooden chest with intricate floral patterns on the front panels. The color palette consists of various shades of brown, emphasizing the natural wood tones. The chest is centrally positioned on a plain background with subtle shadows indicating it is slightly elevated.
    ChestIrving I. Smith, c. 1936Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington

Section 2, north wall

  1. This is a drawing of a textile design. The image consists of a pattern with the text "LYDIA FELT 1834 BLOOMFIELD" displayed along with decorative motifs of abstract leaves and floral shapes in a contrasting color against a dark background. The composition also includes the word "EAST" placed vertically and "YORK" placed horizontally. The combination of geometric shapes and organic elements forms a unified aesthetic typical of traditional textile patterns.
    CoverletMargaret Linsley, c. 1940Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington
  2. This is a drawing of a wooden chair with detailed upholstery. The chair has an ornate, high backrest with elaborate scrollwork and a woven central panel. The seat is cushioned and covered with a floral patterned fabric. There is also a separate drawing of the fabric pattern used on the seat and a sketch of one of the chair's legs to show the craftsmanship and decorative elements.
    Side ChairUnrecorded American maker, 1935/1942Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington
  3. The image features a large terracotta pot with two small handles on its sides. The pot is primarily in shades of earthy orange and brown with some lighter patches that suggest a slightly weathered texture. It is positioned centrally against a plain, light background.
    Preserving JarWilford H. Shurtliff, c. 1938Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington

Section 3, north wall

  1. The image shows a large, intricately designed vase with a bulbous base and flared top at the center. The vase is decorated with painted scenes of a town or village. The color scheme includes shades of blue, green, brown, and touches of yellow and red. Surrounding the vase are two smaller detailed sections showing close-ups of the painted scenes on it. The main vase image is enclosed within a boxed outline on the page.
    Fire Lighter VaseFrancis Law Durand, 1935/1942Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington
  2. This is a drawing of a wooden door panel. It features a detailed rendering of a rectangular wooden door panel with vertical lines. Below the door panel, there is an elevation view showing the construction detail of the door in cross-section, with measurements indicating dimensions and proportions. The color palette is in shades of brown and beige. A signature in the lower right corner attributes the drawing to an artist named Geoffrey Holt.
    One of Original Inside Doors to SacristyGeoffrey Holt, c. 1936Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington

Section 3, south wall

  1. The image shows a large wooden chest with a rectangular design and a keyhole on its front panel. The chest has a weathered look in muted browns and grays. It is positioned in the center with its top, front, and side panels visible. The background is plain and light in color.
    Utility ChestHenry Tomaszewski, 1937Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington
  2. The sculpture depicts a male figure standing upright with one hand raised and the other resting on his hip. The subject is wearing a garment that drapes over one shoulder and a feather-patterned skirt, accessorized with a headband. The colors of the sculpture are predominantly earth tones, including browns and a green headband. The material appears to be a type of stone or ceramic with a polished finish. The figure is slightly larger than everyday objects, allowing viewers to appreciate the intricacies of the carving and the details in the drapery and texture. The statue stands on a rectangular base that is consistent with the overall color palette.
    Cigar Store IndianRosamond P. Gray, 1935/1942Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington