Wafer Iron
c. 1936
Medium
watercolor and graphite on paperboard
Dimensions
overall: 23.1 x 30.7 cm (9 1/8 x 12 1/16 in.) Original IAD Object: 4 3.4" in diameter; handle: 27 1/2" long
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.15944
Art Historical Context
In the heart of the Great Depression, artist Paul Ward captured the humble elegance of a traditional American wafer iron in this vibrant watercolor and graphite rendering, dated around 1936. Measuring 23.1 x 30.7 cm, the work meticulously depicts the original object's 4 3/4-inch diameter iron disk and its 27 1/2-inch handle, showcasing Ward's skill in blending soft watercolor washes for metallic sheen and intricate patterns with precise graphite lines for sharp contours. As part of the National Gallery Art's collection, it exemplifies the watercolor-on-paperboard technique favored for its port...
About the Artist
Paul Ward
Paul Ward was an American artist who contributed to the Index of American Design during the New Deal era, creating detailed watercolor renderings of American decorative objects that are now held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. His documented works include Lamp and Camphene Lamp, both rendered in watercolor and graphite on paperboard and created between 1935 and...