Pa. German Butter Mold
c. 1938
Medium
watercolor, graphite, and colored pencil on paper
Dimensions
overall: 37.9 x 30.4 cm (14 15/16 x 11 15/16 in.) Original IAD Object: 4 1/2" high' 4 1/2" in diameter
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.3786
Art Historical Context
This delicate rendering captures a traditional Pennsylvania German butter mold, a humble yet beautifully crafted household object from the early American decorative arts tradition. Standing just 4½ inches high and wide, such molds were used to shape and imprint butter with folk motifs—often hearts, tulips, or birds—that reflected the cultural heritage of German immigrants who settled in Pennsylvania. Created around 1938, Charlotte Angus’s work preserves the mold’s simple turned-wood form and carved surface details for posterity. Angus’s drawing belongs to the Index of American Design, a Depre...
About the Artist
Charlotte Angus
Charlotte Angus (1911–1989) was an American artist renowned for her meticulous watercolors and graphite drawings that captured the essence of American folk art and historical artifacts. Born on February 2, 1911, in Kansas City, Missouri, she relocated to Philadelphia at a young age, where she immersed herself in the city's vibrant artistic community. Angus honed her skills at the University of the...