Bishop Hill: Small Spoon
Medium
watercolor and graphite on paperboard
Dimensions
overall: 32.7 x 24 cm (12 7/8 x 9 7/16 in.) Original IAD Object: 5 4/16" long; 1" wide
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.18009
Art Historical Context
Welcome to the National Gallery of Art's of American design! *Bishop Hill: Small Spoon created circa 1939 by artists Thompson and William Ludwig, a meticulous watercolor and graphite rendering onboard, measuring 32.7 x 24 cm. This detailed study captures a modest yet evocative folk object—a small spoon originally 5¼ inches long and 1 wide—from the historic Bishop Hill community in IllinoisAs part of the Index of American (IAD), a Works Progress Administration (WPA) project from 1935 1942, this artwork reflects a national effort during the Great Depression to document and celebrate everyday Ame...