Mortar
c. 1940
Medium
watercolor and graphite on paperboard
Dimensions
overall: 36.2 x 29 cm (14 1/4 x 11 7/16 in.) Original IAD Object: 5 7/8" in diameter; 7 15/16" high
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.12668
Art Historical Context
**Mortar**, a delicate watercolor and graphite rendering by Hester Duany circa 1940, captures the humble yet essential form of a traditional grinding mortar. Measuring 36.2 x 29 cm on paperboard, this artwork faithfully depicts an original object just under 6 inches in diameter and 8 inches high—likely a utilitarian piece from American folk craft, used for pounding grains, spices, or herbs in daily life. Duany's precise lines and subtle shading highlight the mortar's smooth contours and functional beauty, transforming everyday pottery into an object of quiet elegance. Created as part of the I...
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...