Bucket

Art Historical Context

Leslie Macklem's *Bucket* (c. 1939) is a captivating watercolor, pen and ink, and graphite rendering on paperboard, measuring 35.9 x 26.7 cm. Created as part of the Index of American Design (IAD), a landmark WPA Federal Art Project from 1935 to 1942, this work meticulously documents a humble yet iconic American folk object: a bucket originally 10 inches high and6½ inches in diameter. TheAD commissioned artists across the U.S. to over 15,000 precise illustrations of everyday design items—from tools to textiles—preserving the nation's cultural heritage during the Great Depression. Macklem's technique shines in the delicate interplay of media: soft watercolors evoke the bucket's wood grain and subtle patina, while fine pen lines and graphite add sharp detail and dimension. This approach not only captures the object's form but also its utilitarian charm, highlighting early American craftsmanship likely rooted in colonial or Shaker traditions. Housed in the National Gallery of Art's collection, *Bucket* exemplifies how the IAD elevated vernacular design to fine art, fostering national pride in everyday ingenuity. Today, it invites visitors to appreciate the artistry in the ordinary, reminding us of the enduring beauty in functional forms that shaped American life.