Louie Ewing's "Navajo Blankets" Portfolio
The WPA prints portfolio, originally conceived of by Russell Vernon Hunter (WPA New Mexico Director) and Kenneth Chapman (Curator of the Laboratory of Anthropology), was carried out as a joint project of the New Mexico Art Program of the Work Projects Administration (WPA) and the Laboratory of Anthropology. The “Navajo Blankets” portfolio grew from an idea to produce serigraph prints using actual textiles from museum collections. It was felt that by producing silkscreen images of early Navajo blankets (woven between 1840 and 1910) and then distributing that product to distant schools and libraries that valuable knowledge and appreciation on Navajo textiles would be developed.
The numbers under the descriptions (for instance L.A. #10/407) indicates the 1942 accession numbers and institutional ownership of the textiles from two institutions the Laboratory of Anthropology, in Santa Fe, New Mexico (noted by L.A.) and the Indian Art Fund, Santa Fe, New Mexico (noted by I.A.F).
(NOTE: The average image size of the silkscreens was about 22 x 16 inches (558 x 406 mm). Sheet size was pretty constant at 26 x 20 inches (660 x 507 mm.)
The numbers under the descriptions (for instance L.A. #10/407) indicates the 1942 accession numbers and institutional ownership of the textiles from two institutions the Laboratory of Anthropology, in Santa Fe, New Mexico (noted by L.A.) and the Indian Art Fund, Santa Fe, New Mexico (noted by I.A.F).
(NOTE: The average image size of the silkscreens was about 22 x 16 inches (558 x 406 mm). Sheet size was pretty constant at 26 x 20 inches (660 x 507 mm.)
PLATE 1.
Period: 1850 to 1875.
Typical design of the classic period, with fine handspun white and indigo blue, and raveled bayeta for the red.
L.A. #10/407
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PLATE 2.
Period: 1850 to 1875.
Design of the classic period, with fine handspun white and indigo blue, raveled material for light green, and both raveled bayeta and Saxony yarn for reds.
L.A. #10/424
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PLATE 3.
Period: About 1875
Zoned design of the classic period. Medium handspun white and blues, Saxony yarn for the yellow, and red raveled from bayeta and carded with white to produce pink.
L.A. #10/2538
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PLATE 4.
Period: About 1880
Stepped zigzag design of medium handspun wool for white, indigo blue, and part of red. Commercial wool yarns for green and the red at ends.
L.A. #10/454
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PLATE 5.
Period: About 1875
Fine handspun wool for white, blue, light red, and green. Raveled bayeta for red and gold.
L.A. #10/401
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PLATE 6.
Period: About 1875
Antique "Chief" type of fine handspun wool for the white, natural brown-black and indigo blue, with raveled bayeta for the red.
L.A. #10/478
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PLATE 7.
Period: About 1875
"Chief" type of medium handspun wool for white, native dyed black, indigo blue, and aniline red.
L.A. #10/437
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PLATE 8.
Period: About 1875 to 1885
Banded back-ground type with medium handspun wool for white, native dyed black, and indigo blue. Raveled material used for red, and four-ply manufactured yarn for green.
L.A. #10/430
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PLATE 9.
Period: About 1880 to 1890
Banded back-ground type of medium handspun wool in white, natural brown-black, indigo blue, native green, and faded aniline red.
L.A. #10/2185
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PLATE 10.
Period: About 1880
Serrate edged zigzag and diamond design of fine handspun wool for the white, indigo blue, native yellow and green, and aniline red.
L.A. #10/1940
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PLATE 11.
Period: About 1875 to 1885
Typical example of stepped zigzags running lengthwise. Medium handspun wool for white, indigo blue, red and dark green. The light gray-green is three-ply manufactured yarn.
L.A. #10/2177
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PLATE 12.
Period: About 1890
Zoned design of medium handspun wool for white, native dyed black, and aniline dyes for red and purple, the later much faded.
L.A. #10/429
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PLATE 13.
Period: About 1890
Stepped zigzag design of course handspun wool, with indigo blue, native yellow and green, and aniline reds.
I.A.F., #T.31
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PLATE 14.
Period: About 1900
Serrate edged zigzags and diamonds of medium handspun wool, in white, native dyed black, and aniline red.
I.A.F., #T.192
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PLATE 15.
Period: About 1880
Unusual design with zones of vari-colored zigzags, produced by the "wedge-weave" technique, in which the colored weft threads follow the direction of the zigzags. Course soft handspun wool throughout. In the zigzags are native brown-black, aniline reds and orange.
I.A.F., #T.6
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