Kettle Tilter

Art Historical Context

**Kettle Tilter**, a meticulous graphite drawing by Jacob Lipkin from around 1939, captures the ingenious simplicity of an everyday American folk tool. This 35.8 x 24.3 cm work on paperboard depicts a wooden device designed to tilt heavy iron kettles over open fires, allowing users to pour liquids without strain—a practical invention rooted in colonial and rural life. Lipkin's precise lines highlight the object's sturdy craftsmanship, from its curved handle to its balanced fulcrum, evoking the resourcefulness of early American makers. Created as part of the *Index of American Design*, a Federal Art Project under the Works Progress Administration (WPA) during the Great Depression, this piece belongs to a vast archive of over 15,000 renderings documenting U.S. folk art and decorative objects. Launched in 1935, the Index aimed to celebrate and preserve the nation's cultural heritage amid economic hardship, employing artists like Lipkin to create faithful, detailed studies. Housed in the National Gallery of Art's collection, it underscores the project's role in fostering national pride and artistic documentation. The graphite medium allowed for fine shading and texture, rendering wood grain and joinery with photographic accuracy while infusing artistic sensitivity. Today, *Kettle Tilter* invites visitors to appreciate how humble tools embody America's inventive spirit, bridging utility and beauty in our shared history.