Ice Tongs

Art Historical Context

**Ice Tongs** (1939) by Eugenez captures the sturdy elegance of a classic American utilitarian object through watercolor, graphite, and gou on paperboard. Measuring 47.9 x 30.7 cm (18 7/8 x 12 1/16 in.), this depicts oversized ice tongs—originally 32 inches long and 16 inches widedesigned for handling large ice blocks in an era before widespread refrigeration. Bartz's precise rendering highlights the tongs' functional form, with sweeping curves and robust handles that reflect early 20th-century craftsmanship. Created as part of the *Index of American Design*, a Works Progress Administration (WPA) project during the Great Depression, the piece belongs to a monumental effort by over 200 artists to document everyday American folk art and design objects. Launched in 1935, the Index preserved cultural heritage through vibrant, accurate illustrations, promoting national pride amid economic hardship. Housed in the National Gallery of Art's CG-W department, it exemplifies how ordinary tools embodied regional ingenuity and industrial aesthetics. Bartz masterfully blends graphite for fine lines, gouache for opaque highlights, and watercolor for subtle shading, achieving a lifelike quality that makes the tongs leap off the page. This medium choice allowed for the Index's hallmark realism, inviting visitors to appreciate the artistry in America's material past.