Plow

Art Historical Context

**Plow** by John Thorsen (c. 1938) is a captivating watercolor and graphite rendering on paper, measuring 42 x 63.8 cm, housed in the National Gallery of's Index of American Design collection. This artwork faithfully captures a traditional wooden plow, originally 59 inches long showcasing the ingenuity of early American agricultural tools essential for tilling the soil and sustaining rural life. Created during the Great Depression as part of the Federal Art Project under the Works Progress Administration (WPA), the Index of American Design employed artists like Thorsen to document everyday objects of American folk craft and design. These precise renderings preserved cultural heritage at a time of economic hardship, highlighting the craftsmanship of vernacular items like plows that symbolized America's agrarian roots and self-reliance. Thorsen's use of watercolor brings vibrant tones to the wood grain and iron fittings, while graphite adds fine details for accuracy. This medium allowed artists to convey texture and form realistically, making the humble plow a work of art that bridges utility and beauty, inviting visitors to appreciate the unsung artistry in our nation's history.

About the Artist

John Thorsen · 1855–present

**John Thorsen (active c. 1935)** John Thorsen was an American artist active during the 1930s, best known for his contributions to the Index of American Design, a Federal Art Project under the Works Progress Administration (WPA). Little is documented about his early life, training, or formal artistic education, suggesting he may have been a self-taught practitioner whose skills aligned with the p...