Any thing should be considered art, it’s not a specific thing
Transparent, because transparent means that you are allowing light to pass through, and you do not want a background color.
Alright look, I am not 100% sure, but I am going to try to help you the best I can. I personally think it's in government archives because it would have been stored away there and would most likely be preserved so people can learn about it and it's origins.