Flint Striker
c. 1939
Medium
watercolor, graphite, colored pencil, and gouache on paperboard
Dimensions
overall: 22.8 x 27.9 cm (9 x 11 in.)
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.10314
Art Historical Context
Henrietta S. Hukill's *Flint Striker* (c. 1939) is a vibrant rendering from the Index of American Design, a WPA Federal Art Project that celebrated everyday American craftsmanship. This detailed watercolor, graphite, colored pencil, gouache work on paperboard captures a flint striker—a humble tool used to spark fire by striking flint against steel—elevating it to an icon of folk ingenuity. Measuring just 9 x 11 inches, the piece showcases Hukill's skill in blending precise graphite outlines with luminous gouache highlights and subtle colored pencil shading, creating a lifelike depiction that f...