Powder Horn
c. 1938
Medium
watercolor and graphite on paper
Dimensions
overall: 27.6 x 34.9 cm (10 7/8 x 13 3/4 in.) Original IAD Object: 9 3/8" long; 2 5/8" in diameter
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.16737
Art Historical Context
Behold the intricate *Powder Horn* (c. 1938), a delicate watercolor and graphite rendering by Howell Rosenbaum, the essence of an early American folk art treasure. Measuring 27.6 x 34.9 cm, this artwork faithfully depicts a traditional powder horn—originally 3/8 inches long and 2 5/8 inches in diameter—crafted from an animal horn to store black powder for frontier firearms. Rosenbaum's precise lines and subtle washes highlight the horn's carved motifs, evoking the resourcefulness of colonial and Revolutionary-era settlers who transformed humble materials into personalized artifacts. Created ...