Evening star., 1936-07-08
W.P.A.ART SHOW
OPEN At MUSEUM
Wide Scope Represented by
"Index Designs" of Amer
lean Times.
BY LEILA MECHLIN.

An exhibition of drawings. paintings
and photographs for the Index of
Design" w. P. A. Federal
art project, may now be seen in the
foyer Of the National Museum.
The purpose of this Index" is a
survey Of design in the
American decorative arts which will
serve as record and reference for all
time. Throughout the country, the
300 artists employed under this section
OF the w. P. A. are working in public
and private collections, and efforts
are being made to discover pieces in
private ownership which have not
heretofore been recorded.
In the research division, much ma
terial of historical value is being as
sembled, such as names of local crafts.
men and data concerning the condi.
tons under which they worked. In
every instance where photographs will
tell the story photographer is en-
ployed, but more often, and especially
when the color element must be reck-
oned with, artists are called in to
make accurate transcriptions in water
color or other suitable media. A large
number Of these works will be repro
duced in color through lithographv,
and thus made available for wide dis
tribution; but none will be so repro
duced, or given out for publication.
without the consent of the owner, and
in no case will these drawings furnish
specifications for manufacturers.
Wide Scope of Work.
The scope Of the work is wide. COW
ering furniture, iron work, work IN
metal, glass, pottery, embroidery,
costume, needlework, toys, etc, from
the far South and West, as well as
from the East. We know good deal
about the craftsmen of New England
in the early days of the Republic, but
very little about those of California
during the gold rush of I849 and sue
ceeding years. The exhibition in the
National Museum opens with section
Of reproductions in water color. very
well rendered of designs employed by
the early settlers of Santa Fe, N. Mex,
in the making Of images and the deco
ration of furniture and other articles
of utility. These have a distinct
Spanish flavor and though in a meas
ure crude, are both sumptuous in feel
ing and naive in simplicity. Especially
charming are some of the statues OF
saints, and particularly impressive the
decorative designs for chests.
Interesting are the designs for
chests made by a craftsman named
Nicholas Disbrowe, born in England
in 1912, who came to this country and
settled in Hartford, Conn, and as a
joiner amassed small fortune. Then
there are designs of old clocks in the
making of which Connecticut early
established reputation. We see here
the designs, some floral. some land
scape, which decorated chair-backs
and chest-fronts when living in the
Colonies became more luxurious The
works of some of the famous New York
cabinet makers, among them Duncan
Phyfe, are shown, but also furniture,
quite Victorian in style. produced in
Wrought Iron Grills.
Nearer home are photographs OF
wrought iron grills from Baltimore
and specimens Of craftWork in other
materials here in Dumbarton House.
the Blair collection and other private
ownership. Collectors Of glass will be
attracted to the illustrations
here Of early American glassware, the
of which was wider
spread than many suppose There
are paintings of old toys-dolls some
what battered but piquant still; a
hobby horse and a very primitive
steam engine. Bed quilts, samplers
and other examples of needlework
have been reproduced with great f.
deity. In fact, all the work included
in this exhibition shows careful, COM
petent workmanship This is art with
a use-a fact which seems to have
called forth from the artists their
best effort.
Obviously much of the material has
been reproduced before but never in
the past has so comprehensive a pic
torial record been attempted. Not
only does this index witness to a high
average of taste among our early
craftsmen and designers, but of prev
alent culture among the people they
served. Also, in some instances, un-
less recorded now, some of these
works would disappear through wear
and tear of use, and their existence
be entirely forgotten.