Tongs

Art Historical Context

In the heart of the Index of American Design, a landmark WPA Federal Art Project from the 1930s and early 1940s, Mildred Ford's *Tongs* (1935/1942) captures the everyday ingenuity of American craftsmanship. This precise graphite drawing on paper, measuring 22.9 x 30.2 cm, meticulously renders a functional 17-inch pair of tongs—likely blacksmith or household tools emblematic of utilitarian folk art. Ford, one of over 200 artists commissioned for the project, employed fine shading and exacting lines to highlight the object's form, texture, and wear, transforming a humble implement into a testament to America's industrial heritage. The Index of American Design aimed to document and celebrate the nation's diverse decorative arts, from quilts to tools, preserving cultural identity amid the Great Depression. Ford's work exemplifies this mission, blending technical draftsmanship with historical reverence. Displayed in the National Gallery of Art's CG-W department, *Tongs* invites visitors to appreciate how ordinary objects embody the skilled hands and innovative spirit of early American makers, bridging art, history, and everyday life.

About the Artist

Mildred Ford · 1895–1988

Mildred Ford (1895–1988) was an American artist whose career is indelibly linked to the Index of American Design, a monumental Works Progress Administration (WPA) project launched in the 1930s to document the nation's rich heritage of decorative arts and folk objects. Through her precise renderings, Ford helped preserve intricate details of everyday artifacts—from toleware utensils to Pennsylvania...