Branding Iron
c. 1942
Medium
watercolor, graphite, pen and ink on paper
Dimensions
overall: 27.9 x 35.3 cm (11 x 13 7/8 in.) Original IAD Object: 34" long
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.8933
Art Historical Context
**Branding Iron** *Elizabeth Johnson, c. 1942* Watercolor, graphite, pen and ink on paper, 27.9 × 35.3 cm (11 × 13 7/8 in.) *Index of American Design, National Gallery of Art* Step into the rugged world of American ranching with Elizabeth Johnson's *Branding Iron*, a captivating rendering from the Index of American Design. Created around 1942, this artwork meticulously captures a 34-inch-long traditional branding iron—a essential tool for marking livestock on the frontier. Johnson's use of watercolor for subtle tones, graphite for precise shading, and pen and ink for sharp outlines brin...
About the Artist
Elizabeth Johnson
Elizabeth Johnson is an artist about whom very little biographical information is currently available in standard reference sources. No birth or death dates have been established, and her nationality and training are not documented. Given the commonality of the name, it is difficult to identify this particular Elizabeth Johnson with confidence among the many artists who have worked under that nam...