Bootjack
c. 1937
Medium
watercolor, graphite, and pen and ink on paper
Dimensions
overall: 42.3 x 33 cm (16 5/8 x 13 in.) Original IAD Object: 24" long; 8" wide; 4" high
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.2014
Rights
Public Domain
Art Historical Context
**Bootjack** *Wellington Blewett, c. 1937* Watercolor, graphite, and pen and ink on paper, 42.3 × 33 cm (16⅝ × 13 in.) *Index of American Design, National Gallery of Art* Step into the inventive world of American folk craft with Wellington Blewett's *Bootjack*, a meticulous rendering from the Index of American Design. Created around 1937, this captures a humble yet ingenious tool—a wooden bootjack, measuring 24 inches long 8 inches wide, and 4 inches high—designed to ease the removal of tall riding boots. Blewett's precise use of watercolor for vibrant tones, graphite for subtle shading, and pen and ink for sharp outlines brings the object's carved details and functional form to life on paper, transforming everyday utility into artistic celebration. As part of the Federal Art Project under the Works Progress Administration (WPA) during the Great Depression, the Index of American Design (1935–1942) employed artists like Blewett to document the nation's diverse crafts, preserving cultural heritage amid economic hardship. This piece highlights regional woodworking traditions, where bootjacks embodied pioneer practicality and whimsy—often adorned with animal motifs or ergonomic curves for cowboys and farmers. Blewett's technical mastery underscores the movement's goal: to honor anonymous makers and foster national pride in American ingenuity. Today, *Bootjack* invites us to appreciate the artistry in the ordinary, reminding visitors of how everyday objects shaped daily life in early America. A true gem of the National Gallery of Art's collection! (198 words)
About the Artist
Wellington Blewett · 1875–1962
**Wellington Blewett (1875–1962)** was a Canadian-born American artist renowned for his meticulous watercolor renderings of everyday American folk objects. Active primarily in the late 1930s, Blewett contributed significantly to the Index of American Design, a Federal Art Project under the Works Progress Administration (WPA) that sought to document the nation's vernacular artistic heritage through...