Shelf Clock c. 1937

Here we have Manuel G. Runyan’s “Shelf Clock”, a watercolor drawing. Runyan made this piece, along with many others, for the Index of American Design, a project by the WPA, or Works Progress Administration. The WPA sought to document and preserve American material culture during the Great Depression. This clock represents more than just a way to tell time, it embodies cultural memory, and reveals the tension between tradition and modernity. During the Great Depression, as people struggled with economic hardship, this visual record served to highlight American ingenuity, and to promote a sense of national identity during a time of crisis. As you look, consider the labor and craftsmanship that went into creating this object, and then try to relate it to the larger context of the era in which Runyan lived. Think of the clock as not merely an artifact, but as a tangible representation of a cultural narrative, that also symbolizes resilience, identity, and the enduring spirit of a nation navigating uncertainty.