Mortar

Art Historical Context

**Mortar** *Hester Duany, c. 1940* Watercolor and graphite on paperboard, 36.1 × 28.3 cm (14 3/16 × 11 1/8 in.) *Index of American Design, National Gallery of Art* This delicate watercolor and graphite rendering by Hester Duany captures a humble yet essential American household object: a mortar, measuring about 6 inches in diameter and 5½ inches high. Created around 1940, the artwork showcases the mortar's simple, functional form—likely a ceramic or wooden tool used for grinding spices, herbs, or grains in everyday colonial or early American kitchens. Duany's precise lines in graphite, combined with the soft, translucent washes of watercolor, bring out the object's subtle textures and earthy tones, transforming an ordinary utensil into a study of craftsmanship. As part of the *Index of American Design* (IAD), a Federal Art Project under the Works Progress Administration (WPA) from 1935 to 1942, this piece contributes to a vast archive documenting America's folk art and design heritage. Artists like Duany meticulously recorded regional artifacts to preserve cultural identity during the Great Depression, emphasizing utilitarian beauty in everyday items. The choice of watercolor and graphite on paperboard allowed for accurate, vibrant documentation that highlighted the mortar's historical role in domestic life. Today, it reminds us of the ingenuity in American vernacular design, bridging art, history, and the rhythms of daily existence. (198 words)

About the Artist

Hester Duany · 1891–1964

Hester Duany (1891–1964) was an American artist best known for her meticulous renderings of traditional American folk art objects as part of the Index of American Design, a Federal Art Project under the Works Progress Administration (WPA) from 1935 to 1942. Working out of the New York City Project, Duany contributed dozens of watercolor and graphite drawings on paperboard that captured the intrica...