Pa. German Hoe
Medium
graphite on paperboard
Dimensions
overall: 28.9 x 22.8 cm (11 3/8 x 9 in.) Original IAD Object: 5 1/2" high; 4 1/4" wide
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.3709
Art Historical Context
Behold the *Pa. German Hoe*, a meticulous 1941 graphite drawing on paperboard by Maurice Van Felix, measuring 28.9 x 22.8 cm. This work captures the humble yet elegantly crafted form of a Pennsylvania German farming tool—originally just 5 1/2 inches high and 4 1/4 inches wide—highlighting the sturdy blade and ergonomic handle typical of 18th- and 19th-century rural craftsmanship. Created as part of the Index of American Design (IAD), a WPA Federal Art Project from the 1930s and early 1940s, Van Felix's rendering preserves America's folk heritage amid the Great Depression and looming World War...
About the Artist
Maurice Van Felix
Maurice Van Felix was born on March 16, 1889, in Łódź, Poland, and later became a prominent figure in American art circles after immigrating to the United States. His early training took place in Poland and France, where he honed his skills as a painter and etcher before settling in Brooklyn, New York, by 1919. Though details of his formal education remain sparse, Van Felix quickly established him...