Blunderbuss
c. 1940
Medium
watercolor, pen and ink, and graphite on paper
Dimensions
overall: 30.4 x 40.9 cm (11 15/16 x 16 1/8 in.)
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.11434
Art Historical Context
**Blunderbuss** by Jessie M. Youngs created around 1940, is a mixed-media rendering on paper measuring 30.4 x 40.9 cm. Using watercolor for vibrant hues, pen and ink for lines, and graphite for subtle, Youngs meticulously captures the robust form and ornate details of a blunderuss—a distinctive short-barreled muzzle firearm popular in colonial America. This technique blend evokes a lifelike quality, blending artistry with documentary precision to highlight the object's historical craftsmanship. As part of the *Index of American Design*, a Works Progress Administration (WPA) initiative from 19...