Butter Molder

Art Historical Context

Behold the *Butter Molder*, a delicate watercolor and graphite rendering by artist Della Button, created between 1935 and1942. Measuring 34.5 x 27.6 cm, this work captures the intricate wooden form of a traditional butter molder—a humble yet essential tool used by American homemakers and farmers to press and shape fresh butter into decorative pats. Button's precise graphite outlines and soft watercolor washes bring out the object's tactile grain and subtle curves, evoking the craftsmanship of everyday rural life. This piece is a gem from the Index of American Design, a ambitious Works Progress Administration (WPA) project during the Great Depression. Launched in 1935, it employed hundreds of artists to document America's folk art and design heritage through vivid, accurate illustrations, preserving objects that might otherwise fade into obscurity. By highlighting utilitarian items like the butter molder, the Index celebrated the ingenuity of ordinary Americans, blending functionality with folk artistry. Button's technique exemplifies the project's goal: faithful reproduction that honors both form and cultural resonance. Displayed in the National Gallery of Art, it invites us to appreciate how such simple tools embodied self-sufficiency and tradition in early American life.