Sewing Cabinet c. 1937

Frank Eiseman rendered this sewing cabinet in watercolor, pencil, and graphite, sometime between 1920 and 1960. It is a product of the Index of American Design, a New Deal project aiming to record and celebrate the nation's decorative arts and folk traditions. The Index offers us a fascinating window into the social and cultural values of the time. The meticulous rendering of everyday objects, like this sewing cabinet, speaks to a desire to define and preserve a distinct American identity during a period of rapid social and economic change. It suggests the gendered nature of domestic life and the values attached to the feminine role of sewing. By studying the choices made by the artists of the Index, with its careful attention to detail, the historian can unpack the cultural meanings embedded in these seemingly simple artifacts. Such projects reveal the power of institutions to shape our understanding of art and its role in reflecting and reinforcing social norms.