Apple Parer
c. 1939
Medium
watercolor, graphite, and pen and ink on paperboard
Dimensions
overall: 22 x 29.9 cm (8 11/16 x 11 3/4 in.) Original IAD Object: overall: 7" high; 14" long; uprights: 6" high; turning arm: 10 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
1943.8.8352
Art Historical Context
Behold the *Apple Parer*, a meticulously rendered depiction by artist Regina Henderer around 1939. Crafted in watercolor, graphite, and pen and ink on paper (22 x 29.9 cm), this work captures the elegant simplicity of a traditional American kitchen tool—measuring about 7 inches high and 14 inches long in its original form. The drawing highlights the device's clever mechanics: upright supports, a turning arm, sharp blades designed to peel apples with precision, evoking the ingenuity of everyday folk craft. As part of the Index of American Design (IAD), a landmark WPA Federal Art Project from t...