Mug

Art Historical Context

Behold the delicate graphite drawing *Mug* by Charlotte, created between 1935 and 1942 as part of the Index of American Design. This pencil sketch on a modest 23.8 × 19 cm sheet captures the form and subtle details of an 8-inch-high American ceramic mug, highlighting everyday craftsmanship from the nation's decorative arts tradition. Winter's meticulous lines evoke the object's contours, texture, and functionality, transforming a humble vessel into a study of cultural heritage. The artwork stems from the Index of American Design, a groundbreaking Federal Art Project under the Works Progress Administration (WPA) during the Great Depression. Launched in 1935, this initiative employed over 200 artists nationwide to document thousands of American folk art objects through detailed renderings, preserving regional designs at risk of being lost. Winter's contribution exemplifies the project's mission to celebrate vernacular creativity, from quilts to pottery, fostering national pride in indigenous artistry. Housed in the National Gallery of Art, this piece underscores graphite's role as an ideal medium for technical accuracy and subtle shading, bridging fine art with historical documentation. Visitors will appreciate how it revives the ingenuity of American makers, inviting reflection on the beauty in the commonplace.

About the Artist

Charlotte Winter · 1855–present

Charlotte Winter was an American artist who made her most lasting contribution during the late 1930s and early 1940s as a participant in the Index of American Design, a major New Deal program administered under the Works Progress Administration's Federal Art Project. The Index employed artists across the United States to document the nation's decorative arts heritage through meticulous watercolor ...