Potato Kettle

Art Historical Context

Harry Jennings' *Potato Kettle*c. 1937) is a captivating watercolor and graphite rendering from the Index of American Design, a landmark WPA Federal Art Project initiative during the Great Depression. This program commissioned artists across the U.S. to document everyday American folk objects, preserving the nation's cultural heritage amid economic hardship. Jennings, a skilled illustrator, captured the humble potato kettle—a practical kitchen vessel likely used for boiling potatoes in colonial or early American homes—with precise detail, highlighting its functional form and modest craftsmansh...