Earthen Churn

Art Historical Context

**Earthen Churn** Clyde L. Cheney, between 1935 and1942, captures the humble beauty of a traditional earthenware churn—a vital tool in early American households for transforming cream into butter. This meticulous study, measuring 40.5 x 30.9 cm, the churn's simple, functional form through a precise scale of 3/4" = 1', highlighting its earthy textures and practical design rooted in colonial-era folk craftsmanship. Created as part of the *Index of American Design*, groundbreaking WPA Federal Art Project initiative during the Great Depression, the artwork documents America's rich material culture. Artists like Cheney produced thousands of such detailed plates to preserve everyday objects, ensuring that vernacular designs from pottery to tools were celebrated as national treasures. Housed in the National Gallery of Art's collection, it reflects a New Deal-era effort to employ artists while fostering cultural pride. Cheney's mixed-media technique—watercolor, graphite, colored pencil, and gouache on paper—brings remarkable realism and vibrancy to the object, blending scientific accuracy with artistic flair. This piece invites us to appreciate the ingenuity of anonymous makers and the enduring legacy of American folk art.

About the Artist

Clyde L. Cheney · 1895–1968

Clyde L. Cheney is an artist about whom little is currently known. No dates of birth or death have been established, and his nationality and artistic training are not documented in surviving historical records. With nearly fifty works attributed to him in institutional collections, Cheney's output points to an active career. The middle initial suggests a deliberate professional identity, but corr...