Coal Scuttle

Art Historical Context

Mildred Ford's *Coal Scuttle* (c. 1938) captures the humble yet essential household object that once fueled American homes during the era of coal heating. Rendered in precise graphite on paperboard ( x 44 cm), this drawing meticulously depicts a functional scuttle—originally 20 inches long 11¾ inches high, and ½ inches in diameter—showcasing its sturdy form, likely crafted from metal with practical handles and a sloped lid for easy scooping. Created as part of the Index of American Design (IAD), a Works Progress Administration (WPA) project from 1935–1942, Ford's work exemplifies the program's mission to document and celebrate everyday American folk art and design amid the Great Depression. Artists like Ford produced accurate, detailed renderings to preserve cultural artifacts, highlighting the ingenuity of vernacular objects in daily life. Housed in the National Gallery of Art's collection, this piece reflects the IAD's emphasis on graphite's fine lines to convey texture and utility, bridging art with historical preservation. Today, *Coal Scuttle* evokes a bygone reliance on coal, reminding visitors of evolving domestic technologies and the artistic value in the ordinary.

About the Artist

Mildred Ford · 1895–1988

Mildred Ford (1895–1988) was an American artist whose career is indelibly linked to the Index of American Design, a monumental Works Progress Administration (WPA) project launched in the 1930s to document the nation's rich heritage of decorative arts and folk objects. Through her precise renderings, Ford helped preserve intricate details of everyday artifacts—from toleware utensils to Pennsylvania...