Head (Top of Hitching Post)
c. 1937
Medium
graphite on paperboard
Dimensions
overall: 28.8 x 23 cm (11 5/16 x 9 1/16 in.)
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.11479
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 Projec...
About the Artist
Milton Grubstein
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...