Economy Shoulder Yoke
c. 1937
Medium
watercolor and graphite on paperboard
Dimensions
overall: 24.2 x 35.5 cm (9 1/2 x 14 in.)
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.3885
Art Historical Context
Ralph Atkinson's *Economy Shoulder Yoke*c. 1937) is a meticulous rendering of a utilitarian American folk craft object—a simple wooden yoke designed for balancing and carrying two pails or buckets on the shoulders. Created as part of the Index of American Design, this and graphite drawing on paperboard captures the's straightforward, functional form with precise lines and subtle color washes, highlighting its economical craftsmanship likely rooted in 19th-century rural life. The Index of American Design, a Federal Art Project under the Works Progress Administration (WPA) from 1935 to 1942, em...
About the Artist
Ralph Atkinson
Ralph Atkinson (1913–1995) was an American artist whose precise and evocative watercolor renderings captured the essence of everyday American folk art objects during the Great Depression era. He is best known for his contributions to the Index of American Design, a monumental Works Progress Administration (WPA) project launched in 1935 that commissioned hundreds of artists to document the nation's...