Andiron

Art Historical Context

This watercolor and graphite rendering by Hans Korsch captures an andiron, a traditional fireplace support used to hold logs above the hearth. Created around 1953 as part of the Index of American Design at the National Gallery of Art, the work measures roughly 11 ½ by 9 inches and depicts an original object standing 22 inches high. Rendered with precise line work and subtle washes, the drawing highlights the object’s functional form and decorative details, transforming a utilitarian tool into a study of American craftsmanship. The Index of American Design project documented everyday decorative arts from the colonial period through the 19th century, preserving visual records of objects that might otherwise have been lost. Korsch’s careful technique—combining graphite outlines with watercolor—reflects the project’s goal of accuracy and clarity, allowing viewers to appreciate both the andiron’s practical engineering and its aesthetic qualities. Such renderings served as valuable references for historians, designers, and museum collections. Today, this piece offers a window into mid-20th-century efforts to celebrate America’s material heritage. By focusing on an andiron, Korsch reminds us how ordinary household items embodied both utility and artistic expression in earlier eras.

About the Artist

Hans Korsch · 1855–present

Hans Korsch was an American artist active during the mid-20th century, primarily around 1935 to the early 1950s, best known for his contributions to the Index of American Design, a Federal Art Project initiative under the Works Progress Administration (WPA). This ambitious New Deal program employed artists to document everyday American folk art and design objects through precise watercolor renderi...