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20th-century United States

Works made in the United States in the 20th century.

124 works · hang 1281 ·

The rooms are imagined; every work on their walls is real.

Walk this roomRehang this room

Section 1, north wall

  1. The image displays a full-body illustration of a person standing upright. They have a delicate and round face with rosy cheeks and small, pink lips. Their eyes are large and expressive, and they have light-colored hair peeking out from under a bonnet. The person's attire consists of a long, dark skirt and a light-colored shawl draped over their shoulders. They wear a hooded cloak tied with a bow at the neck, and hold a small bag in their left hand. The background is plain with a light-colored texture. The artwork is a painted illustration with visible fine lines and shading to enhance details of the clothing and facial features.
    Quaker DollBertha Semple, 1935/1942Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington
  2. Mr. and Mrs. Phillip Wase, by George Bellows, 1924
    Mr. and Mrs. Phillip WaseGeorge Bellows, 1924Courtesy of the Smithsonian American Art Museum

Section 1, south wall

  1. 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
  2. This painting is a birth record for Sarah Campion, daughter of Joseph and Mary Campion, born on November 16th, 1777. It features elaborate calligraphy and ornamental designs. The borders contain floral patterns with red and orange-colored flowers and green leaves. The central text is decorative, and at the bottom are human-like figures in colonial attire standing beside a flower vase. The artwork reflects a style reminiscent of early American folk art, created by an anonymous folk artist capturing the essence of 18th-century American artistry.
    Pa. German Birth CertificateGlenn Pearce, c. 1936Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington
  3. This is a drawing of decorative motifs. The image shows three distinct designs with ornate, swirling patterns. The uppermost design is in gold color. Two additional designs are sketched below in a lighter tone, likely pencil. The use of line and form emphasizes intricate looping patterns that suggest inspiration from natural forms such as vines or waves. The composition is against a plain background, drawing attention to the details and shapes of the motifs, presenting a sense of simplicity and artistry.
    Gold BroochIsidore Steinberg, c. 1940Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington

Section 2, south wall

  1. In the Generalife, by John Singer Sargent, 1912
    In the GeneralifeJohn Singer Sargent, 1912Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art
  2. A six-story, narrow building stands alone in an otherwise unoccupied lot under the deck of a high bridge, with a river and cityscape in the background in this horizontal painting. Dozens of people, small in scale, are each painted with a few swipes of black and some with peach-colored faces. They gather at the foot of the building and around a fire to our left, near the lower left corner of the composition. The fire is painted with a dash of orange, a few touches of canary yellow, and a smudge of gray smoke. Several more people stand and sit against the building, which has a streetlamp near its entrance. The back end of the building angles away from us to our right, so we see the narrow, front entrance side to our left. Each of the six floors of the building has two windows with fire escape ladders on the narrow side we can see. Some strokes in red and white on the lower levels of the long, flat side of the building suggest signs or posters. The top story glows a warm sienna brown in sunlight, while the rest of the building and the scene below are in shadow. More people walk along a grayish-violet fence that encloses the lot beyond the building. The ground is painted thickly with slate gray, pale, sage green, and one smear of white to suggest snow. To our right and a short distance from us, a white horse pulls a carriage near the foot of the bridge. The ivory-white, concrete piling rises up and off the right edge of the canvas and supports the deck of the bridge above. Only a sliver of the brick-red underside of the bridge is visible, skimming the top edge of the painting in the upper right corner. Two twiggy, barren trees grow up beyond the muted purple fence, and the landscape beyond is bright in the sunlight. A terracotta-orange building rises along the left edge of the painting, with the area between it and the lot under the bridge filled with thickly painted patches of butter yellow, amethyst purple, and sage green. Beyond that, an ice-blue river flows across the composition. The shore beyond is lined with patches of beige and tan paint that could be buildings. A black tugboat puffs bright white smoke in the river. The sky above is frosty white. The artist signed the work with dark blue in the lower left corner of the painting, “Geo Bellows.”
    The Lone TenementGeorge Bellows, 1909Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington

Section 2, north wall

  1. The image shows a dark metal object with two parts: a handle and a blade. The color palette consists of shades of dark brown on a light beige background. The handle is located at the top center, and the blade portion is positioned below it, both aligned vertically in the center of the frame.
    SpitEmile Cero, c. 1938Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington
  2. This painting shows a person seated on a stool or chair, wearing a long, dark-blue robe or gown. They are slightly turned toward the right, looking downward at something they hold in their hands, and their head is covered with a cloth or cap. The background is textured with earthy tones, mostly tan with some patches of yellow ochre and gray.
    The ChaperoneThomas Eakins, c. 1908Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington
  3. This print depicts a grayscale desert landscape with a prominent saguaro cactus to the left. In the background, rocky mountains are visible in the darkness. The sky shows a crescent moon and a bright star through an opening in the soft gray clouds. Sparse desert vegetation is faintly visible on the ground, and more cacti can be seen in the distance.
    New Moon and Evening StarGeorge Elbert Burr, c. 1932Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington

Section 3, north wall

  1. 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
  2. The image depicts a person standing upright. They are wearing a dark green dress with long sleeves and a floor-length skirt. Over the dress, there is a white fabric wrapped around their shoulders. The person is holding a closed umbrella in their right hand. Their face is dark with distinguishable eyes and a nose, but specific facial features are not detailed. The person's hair is covered by a colorful headscarf with shades of blue, pink, and yellow. They are wearing large earrings, possibly pink or red. The background is plain and light with no additional objects present.
    Doll--"Hannah Hitch"Edith Towner, c. 1940Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington
  3. The image shows a dress with a pink and white vertical striped pattern. The color palette is predominantly soft pinks and whites with subtle shading for light and shadow effects on the fabric. The dress is positioned at the center of the image, with sleeves extending slightly outward to the sides.
    Child's DressLucien Verbeke, c. 1937Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington

Section 3, south wall

  1. The image shows a spinning wheel with intricate details, surrounded by smaller insets highlighting specific components. The color palette consists of muted browns, greens, and beiges. The spinning wheel is positioned in the center, with its circular wheel on the right and the spinning mechanism on the left. Detailed insets are placed around the spinning wheel, each showing different mechanical elements.
    Spinning WheelClyde L. Cheney, 1935/1942Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington
  2. The image shows various shapes and lines within a square border. In the center, there is an abstract circular pattern resembling a stylized floral design. The inner circle contains leaf-like shapes in green, surrounded by a ring resembling petals or decorative motifs. The overall effect is similar to a decorative shield or medallion. The background texture adds depth to the composition.
    Quilt Block - "E. Cooper" DesignFlorence Truelson, 1935/1942Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington
  3. 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