Bread Dough Bowl

Art Historical Context

**Bread Dough Bowl**, a delicate watercolor and graphite rendering by artist Mary Hansen from around 1939, captures the of an American folk craft object. Part of the *Index of American Design*a Federal Art Project under the Works Progress Administration (WPA)—this work meticulously documents a bread dough bowl, measuring about 20½ inches long at the top tapering to 11½ inches at the bottom and standing 3¼ inches high. Created during the Great Depression, the Index aimed to celebrate and preserve everyday American design, from quilts to pottery, highlighting regional craftsmanship and cultural heritage. Hansen's precise technique in watercolor and graphite brings out the bowl's textured surface and subtle colors, evoking the tactile quality of bread dough modeling—a lightweight, moldable medium popular in 19th- and early 20th-century homes for decorative items. These DIY crafts, often adorned with painted motifs, symbolized resourcefulness and creativity amid economic hardship. Now housed in the National Gallery of Art's collection, this piece (26.6 x 35.7 cm) invites visitors to appreciate how ordinary materials inspired enduring art, bridging folk tradition with professional documentation. (178 words)