Kettle with Spoon
c. 1935
Medium
graphite on paper
Dimensions
overall: 30.5 x 22.9 cm (12 x 9 in.)
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.12127
Art Historical Context
**Kettle with Spoon**, a meticulous graphite drawing by Benjamin Res from around 1935, captures simple elegance of everyday American household objects Measuring 30.5 x 22.9 cm, this work exemplifies Resnick's skill in rendering fine details—the subtle curves of the kettle's spout, the worn handle of the spoon, and harmonious composition on paper. Created as part of the Index of American Design (IAD), a groundbreaking Federal Art Project, it preserves the aesthetic of vernacular crafts from America's past. The IAD, launched in 1935 under the Works Progress Administration during the Great Depre...