Butter Mold

Art Historical Context

**Butter Mold**, a meticulous rendering by Wellington Blewett circa 1937, captures intricate beauty of an everyday American folk craft object. Created using watercolor, colored pencil, graphite on paper (49.8 x 39 cm), this work belongs to the esteemed *Index of American Design* (IAD), a Federal Art Project of the Works Progress Administration (WPA) during the Great Depression. The IAD commissioned artists across the U.S. to regional folk arts, crafts, and through precise, colorful illustrations, preserving cultural heritage at a time of economic hardship. Blewett's depiction highlights the butter mold's carved wooden form, likely adorned with traditional motifs symbolizing agrarian life—common in 18th- and 19th-century American households. These molds weren't just functional tools for pressing butter into decorative shapes; they embodied local craftsmanship, often featuring patriotic eagles, fruits, or animals that reflected community pride and ingenuity. This artwork exemplifies the IAD's artistic technique: photorealistic detail achieved through layered media, blending soft watercolor washes for depth with graphite's fine lines for accuracy. Housed in the National Gallery of Art's CG-W Department, it invites visitors to appreciate how humble objects tell stories of America's diverse creative legacy.

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...