Coffee Grinder

Art Historical Context

Pearl Davis's *Coffee Grinder* (c 1941), a watercolor and graphite rendering on paper measuring 23 x 27.9 cm, vividly documents a classic wooden household tool—originally 17 inches long 4 inches wide, 3 inches high. Created as part of the Federal Art Project's Index of American (IAD), this exemplifies the program's mission during the Great Depression and early World War II era to celebrate and preserve everyday American folk art and craftsmanship through precise artistic reproductions. The IAD, active from 1935 to 1942, employed hundreds of artists like Davis to capture the forms, colors, and textures of utilitarian objects, ensuring their cultural legacy amid rapid modernization. Watercolor's translucent layers lend a lifelike vibrancy to the grinder's grain and patina, while graphite adds fine details to its mechanical elements, highlighting the blend of functionality and handcrafted beauty in early American domestic life. Housed in the National Gallery of Art's CG-W department, this piece underscores the IAD's enduring value: a visual archive that connects visitors to the ingenuity of anonymous makers, reminding us how ordinary tools embodied national pride and resourcefulness.