Head (Top of Hitching Post)

Art Historical Context

Milton Grubstein's *Head (Top of Hitching Post)*, created around 1937, is a meticulous graphite drawing on paperboard that captures the carved finial of a traditional American hitching post. Measuring 28.8 x 23 cm, this work showcases the sculptural details of a utilitarian object once used to tether horses outside homes and businesses in the 19th century. Such posts often featured whimsical animal heads or figures, blending functionality with folk artistry and reflecting everyday American craftsmanship. This piece is part of the *Index of American Design*, a groundbreaking Federal Art Project under the Works Progress Administration (WPA) from 1935 to 1942. During the Great Depression, artists like Grubstein produced over 18,000 precise renderings of folk art, crafts, and design objects to celebrate and preserve the nation's cultural heritage. Housed in the National Gallery of Art's collection, these works highlight regional traditions and the ingenuity of anonymous makers. Grubstein's use of graphite allowed for fine lines and subtle shading, rendering textures and forms with photographic accuracy—a hallmark of the Index's documentary style. This drawing not only revives a vanished element of rural life but also underscores the WPA's role in supporting artists while fostering national pride in vernacular design.

About the Artist

Milton Grubstein · 1918–1995

Milton Grubstein is an artist for whom biographical documentation in the current historical record is limited. His dates of birth and death, nationality, and the particulars of his artistic training have not been firmly established in the sources presently available to scholars. The works associated with Grubstein's name suggest a degree of technical accomplishment and a sustained artistic practi...