Three-cornered Safe c. 1939

Pearl Davis made this drawing of a "Three-cornered Safe" using graphite and colored pencil, but we don't know exactly when. It shows the facade of a built-in cupboard, likely located in a home. The Index of American Design, or IAD, was a program under the Works Progress Administration, or WPA, during the Great Depression in the United States. Artists were employed to create a visual survey of American decorative and folk arts from the colonial period through the 19th century. By documenting these objects, the IAD aimed to foster an appreciation for American craftsmanship and cultural heritage. Davis's drawing captures the craftsmanship of everyday objects. The drawing's precision speaks to a broader interest in preserving and celebrating American material culture during a time of economic hardship and uncertainty. By studying such pieces and the records of the WPA, we start to understand more about the cultural and social values of the United States in the 1930s and 40s.