Pitcher

Art Historical Context

Gertrude Lemberg's *Pitcher* (1935/1942) is a captivating rendering from the Index of American Design, a WPA Federal Art Project initiative during the Great Depression. in 1935, this program employed artists across the U.S. meticulously document everyday American folk art, crafts, and design objects through precise, colorful drawings. Lemberg, a skilled draftsman in this effort, captured the humble yet elegant form of a traditional pitcher—likely a ceramic or earthenware vessel emblematic of early American craftsmanship—preserving its cultural heritage for future generations. Rendered in colored pencil and graphite on paperboard (30.3 x 22.1 cm), the work showcases the Index artists' mastery of realistic techniques. The soft, layered hues of colored pencil bring out the pitcher's subtle glazes, textures, and highlights, while graphite adds fine lines for depth and shadow. This medium choice allowed for hyper-detailed accuracy, turning functional objects into celebrated icons of national identity. Housed in the National Gallery of Art, *Pitcher* highlights the project's dual role in job creation and cultural documentation. It reminds us how ordinary household items reflected immigrant ingenuity and regional traditions, offering visitors a window into America's artistic roots amid economic hardship. A testament to Lemberg's keen eye, it invites contemplation of design's quiet beauty.

About the Artist

Gertrude Lemberg · 1855–present

Gertrude Lemberg was an American artist who contributed to the Index of American Design during the New Deal era, creating detailed watercolor renderings of American clothing and domestic objects that are now held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art. Her documented works include Brocaded Silk Dress (c. 1939), Dress (c. 1940), Glass (c. 1940), Vase (c. 1940), Petticoat Dress (c. 1941), ...