Pa. German Butter Mold
c. 1940
Medium
watercolor, graphite, and colored pencil on paper
Dimensions
overall: 21.3 x 20.9 cm (8 3/8 x 8 1/4 in.)
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.3776
Art Historical Context
This delicate rendering captures a traditional Pennsylvania German butter mold, a carved wooden tool once used to imprint decorative patterns onto butter for household or market use. Created around 1940 by Charlotte Angus as part of the Index of American Design, the work faithfully records an everyday object rooted in the folk traditions of German-speaking immigrants who settled in Pennsylvania during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Such molds often featured hearts, tulips, or birds—symbols drawn from both European heritage and local life—transforming a simple dairy practice into quie...
About the Artist
Charlotte Angus
Charlotte Angus (1911–1989) was an American artist renowned for her meticulous watercolors and graphite drawings that captured the essence of American folk art and historical artifacts. Born on February 2, 1911, in Kansas City, Missouri, she relocated to Philadelphia at a young age, where she immersed herself in the city's vibrant artistic community. Angus honed her skills at the University of the...