Batter Jug
c. 1938
Medium
watercolor, graphite, and colored pencil on paper
Dimensions
overall: 35.4 x 43.6 cm (13 15/16 x 17 3/16 in.)
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.12671
Art Historical Context
**Batter Jug** by Stanley Mazur (c. 1938) is a captivating rendering of a traditional American ceramic vessel, meticulously captured in watercolor, graphite, and pencil on paper (35.4 x 43.6 cm). Part of National Gallery of Art's Index of American Design, this work showcases a humble yet essential household item—a sturdy jug designed for mixing batters in everyday cooking, reflecting the practical ingenuity of early American craftsmanship. Created during the Great Depression as part of the Art Project under the Works Progress Administration (WPA), Index of American Design (1935–1942) employed...
About the Artist
Stanley Mazur
**Stanley Mazur (1903–1978)** was an American artist best known for his meticulous watercolor renderings created as part of the Index of American Design, a Works Progress Administration (WPA) initiative during the Great Depression era. This ambitious project commissioned artists across the United States to document everyday folk art objects, crafts, and tools that embodied the nation's cultural he...