Pitcher

Art Historical Context

Behold the delicate rendering of *Pitcher* by Gordon Saltar, around 1937 as part of the Index of American Design. This, pen and ink drawing with heightening on paper 30.4 x 22.8 cm (11 15/16 x 9 in.), meticulously capturing a modest ceramic vessel—originally 5 inches high and inches in diameter—that exemplifies everyday American craftsmanship. Saltar's belongs to the Index of American Design, a Art Project under the Works Progress Administration (WPA during the Great Depression. From 1935 to 1942, artists across the U.S. produced over 15,000 watercolor renderings of folk, popular, and decorative arts, preserving cultural heritage at a time of economic hardship. Housed in the National Gallery of Art's collection, this piece highlights the program's mission to celebrate indigenous and vernacular designs, from pottery to quilts. The artist's precise pen lines, vibrant watercolors, and subtle heightening (white highlights for dimension) bring the pitcher's form and subtle glazes to life, transforming a humble object into a testament to American ingenuity. Visitors will appreciate how such works safeguard stories of ordinary makers, bridging past and present in our shared design legacy.