Bootjack

Art Historical Context

**Bootjack** by Rex F. Bush, created around 1937, captures the humble yet ingenious form of a traditional American bootjack—a wooden tool designed to grip the heel of a boot for easy removal. Rendered in watercolor and graphite on paperboard (35.5 x 27.8 cm), this precise depiction highlights the object's sturdy construction, with its characteristic U-shaped notch and ergonomic leverage, evoking the practical craftsmanship of rural life in 19th-century America. As part of the *Index of American Design* (IAD), a groundbreaking WPA Federal Art Project from 1935–1942, Bush's work exemplifies efforts to document and celebrate everyday American folk objects amid the Great Depression. Artists like Bush produced over 15,000 watercolor renderings to preserve the nation's design heritage, elevating utilitarian items to art status. The IAD's meticulous technique—combining vibrant watercolor for color and texture with graphite for fine details—ensures historical accuracy, now housed in the National Gallery of Art. This piece underscores the cultural importance of vernacular design, reminding us how simple tools embodied American ingenuity and self-reliance. A charming window into our past, it invites visitors to appreciate the beauty in the everyday.

About the Artist

Rex F. Bush · 1915–2002

Rex F. Bush (c. 1915–2002) was an American artist best known for his meticulous contributions to the Index of American Design, a Federal Art Project initiative under the Works Progress Administration (WPA) during the Great Depression era. Active primarily from 1935 to 1942, Bush produced watercolor, gouache, graphite, and pen-and-ink renderings on paperboard that documented everyday American folk ...