Flask
1935/1942
Medium
watercolor, gouache, and graphite on paperboard
Dimensions
overall: 29.2 x 22.9 cm (11 1/2 x 9 in.)
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.11097
Art Historical Context
**Flask** by Charles Caseau (193/1942) is a captivating rendering from the *Index of American Design*, monumental WPA-era project that employed artists during the Great Depression to document America's rich folk art and decorative traditions. Created between 1935 and 1942, this work captures the essence of a quintessential American flask—likely a humble yet elegant vessel from early craftsmanship traditions—preserving its form for future generations amid economic hardship. Caseau employed watercolor, gouache, and graphite on paperboard, a technique ideal for the Index's goal of precise, lifel...
About the Artist
Charles Caseau
**Charles Caseau** (1880–?), an American artist born in Boston, Massachusetts, remains a figure whose early life and artistic training are not well documented. Known primarily for his work in illustration, painting, and design, Caseau emerged during the Great Depression era, contributing significantly to federal art initiatives that celebrated everyday American craftsmanship. Caseau's most promin...