Ochre Editions
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The 20th century

Works made in the 20th century, anywhere in the world.

189 works · hang 479 ·

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

Walk this roomRehang this room

Section 1, north wall

  1. The image shows an ornate chair with a high back, decorative carvings along its arms, legs, and backrest, a woven or cane seat and back, and intricate patterns. The chair is detailed with earthy brown tones and subtle shading accentuating the wood texture and design motifs. It is placed in the center of the image, facing slightly to the left, with linear guides indicating perspective and depth on a plain background.
    ArmchairAgnes Karlin, c. 1936Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington
  2. The Frugal Meal, by Pablo Picasso, September 1904, printed 1913
    The Frugal MealPablo Picasso, September 1904, printed 1913Courtesy of the Cleveland Museum of Art
  3. The image shows a decorative curved object with intricate patterns. There is a large green peacock motif in the center, surrounded by floral and geometric patterns. The color palette includes soft pinks, greens, and blue accents outlining the curve of the object. The object is placed on a plain light background.
    BandboxNicholas Acampora, 1937Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington

Section 1, south 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. The image shows a large fan with intricate feather-like segments adorned with yellow patterns and a bird depiction. The color palette is grey with hints of yellow, brown, and metallic sheen on the ribs. The fan is positioned upright with the handle at the bottom center, and the feathers extend outward in a semi-circular shape.
    Feather FanTulita Westfall, c. 1937Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington
  3. The image shows a large hat with a broad brim, decorated with a ribbon and floral or lace-like embellishments. The color palette consists of shades of gray and soft purples. The hat is centered in the frame, with its brim curving to the left and the decorative elements extending to the sides.
    BonnetRosalia Lane, 1935/1942Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington

Section 2, south wall

  1. The Sprout Lot, by J. Francis Murphy, 1915
    The Sprout LotJ. Francis Murphy, 1915Courtesy of the Smithsonian American Art Museum
  2. Eddyville, by Samuel Halpert, 1917
    EddyvilleSamuel Halpert, 1917Courtesy of the Cleveland Museum of Art

Section 2, north wall

  1. The image shows a tall, narrow wooden table with a square top and four long, slender legs. The color palette is warm with shades of light brown and reddish-brown on the table. Positioned centrally, the table stands against a plain, light-colored background.
    Shaker StandRay Holden, c. 1936Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington
  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 3, north wall

  1. The image shows a wooden stool with a semi-circular seat on a light beige background. The stool has four slim legs and a primarily brown color.
    Shaker Music RackAlfred H. Smith, c. 1936Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington
  2. The image depicts a large, round, domed container with a handle on its side. It has a textured and layered appearance with a central band. The color palette consists of various shades of brown and some orange tones. The container is centered in the image with the handle facing towards the viewer. The name "Janetta Badanes" is visible near the bottom right of the image.
    Copper Baptismal FontJuanita Donahoo, c. 1941Courtesy 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 3, 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. Vibrant yellow, red, blue, and green painting of landscape with trees and mountains.
    Landscape with Two PoplarsVasily Kandinsky, 1912Courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago
  3. The image shows a large wooden chest with a rectangular design and a keyhole on its front panel. The chest has a weathered look in muted browns and grays. It is positioned in the center with its top, front, and side panels visible. The background is plain and light in color.
    Utility ChestHenry Tomaszewski, 1937Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington