Meat Chopper
c. 1939
Medium
watercolor, pen and ink, and gouache on paper
Dimensions
overall: 35.8 x 36.7 cm (14 1/8 x 14 7/16 in.) Original IAD Object: blade: 7" wide; 4" high; overall: 36" high
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.9388
Art Historical Context
In the National Gallery of Art's collection, *Meat Chopper* (c. 1939) by Eugene R. Szepessy captures the sturdy elegance of an everyday American folk tool—a heavy-duty blade for chopping meat, measuring 7 inches wide and 4 inches high on a 36-inch handle. Rendered in watercolor, pen and ink, and gouache on paper (35.8 x 36.7 cm), Szepessy's precise depiction highlights the chopper's functional beauty, from its broad, curved blade to its worn wooden haft, evoking the craftsmanship of rural American life. This artwork is part of the Index of American Design, a landmark WPA Federal Art Project f...