Artist Ethel Dougan paints civil war mittens for National Gallery of Art

Artist Ethel Dougan created a watercolor painting of a pair of 19th-century mittens for the Index of American Design.

This project was part of the Works Progress Administration’s Federal Art Project, which employed around 1,000 artists to document American arts and crafts. The Index of American Design aimed to provide inspiration for modern designers by preserving historical crafts.

The mittens in the painting were originally knitted by the fiancée of Private Franklin Martin Spaulding, an 18-year-old soldier in the 6th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment. Spaulding wore the mittens during a winter of active service starting in August 1862. While an archived photograph shows the mittens as a pile of moth-eaten wool, Dougan’s artwork restores their appearance, showing patriotic colors and embroidered stars. Dougan included specific details in the painting, such as a third pouch for the index finger.

This unique feature allowed the soldier to tear paper cartridges and load his rifle while keeping his hand warm in the cold. The watercolor now resides in the National Gallery of Art collection.