Piggin

Art Historical Context

**Piggin** *Max Soltmann, c. 1937* Gouache on paperboard, 50.7 × 37.4 cm (19 15/16 × 14 3/4 in.) Index of American Design, National Gallery of Art Step into the humble ingenuity of colonial America with Max Soltmann's *Piggin*, a vibrant gouache rendering of a traditional wooden pail. This everyday tool, with its stave handle and practical design, was essential for milking cows, measuring grain, or carrying water on pioneer farms. Soltmann captures its weathered textures and sturdy form with meticulous detail, evoking the craftsmanship of early American settlers. Created around 1937 as part of the Index of American Design—a Works Progress Administration (WPA) project during the Great Depression—this artwork celebrates the nation's folk heritage. Launched in 1935, the Index employed artists to document over 15,000 utilitarian objects through precise, colorful watercolors, preserving cultural artifacts amid economic hardship. Soltmann, a skilled WPA contributor, used gouache's opaque, matte finish on paperboard to mimic the object's three-dimensionality, blending artistic skill with historical documentation. Today, *Piggin* reminds us of America's resourceful past, highlighting how simple designs shaped daily life. A testament to both Soltmann's talent and the WPA's legacy, it invites you to appreciate the beauty in the ordinary. (198 words)