Ice Cream Freezer
c. 1939
Medium
watercolor, gouache, and graphite on paperboard
Dimensions
overall: 22.8 x 27.9 cm (9 x 11 in.)
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.11620
Art Historical Context
Behold *Ice Cream Freezer*, a captivating watercolor, gouache, and graphite rendering by William H. Edwards, created around 1939. Measuring a compact 22.8 x 27.9 cm (9 x 11 in.), this delicate work on paperboard captures the intricate details of a classic American ice cream maker, from its wooden bucket and metal churn to ornate hardware, evoking the charm of 19th-century domestic ingenuity. As part of the Index of American Design—a monumental Federal Art Project under the Works Progress Administration (WPA) from 1935 to 1942—Edwards's piece belongs to a vast archive of over 18,000 artworks d...