Mortar
c. 1940
Medium
watercolor and graphite on paperboard
Dimensions
overall: 36 x 28 cm (14 3/16 x 11 in.) Original IAD Object: 9 5/16" high; 4 7/8 wide
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.12665
Art Historical Context
**Mortar**, a delicate watercolor and graphite rendering by Hester Duany around 1940, captures the humble elegance of an everyday American kitchen tool. Part of the prestigious Index of American Design (IAD), this 36 x 28 cm work on paperboard meticulously documents a mortar—originally 9 5/16 inches high and 4 7/8 inches wide—likely a utilitarian stone or wooden vessel used for grinding spices or grains. Duany's precise graphite outlines and subtle watercolor washes highlight its form, texture, and patina, transforming a functional object into a study of folk craftsmanship. Created during the...
About the Artist
Hester Duany
Hester Duany (1891–1964) was an American artist best known for her meticulous renderings of traditional American folk art objects as part of the Index of American Design, a Federal Art Project under the Works Progress Administration (WPA) from 1935 to 1942. Working out of the New York City Project, Duany contributed dozens of watercolor and graphite drawings on paperboard that captured the intrica...