Shoe Last
1938
Medium
watercolor, graphite, and colored pencil on paperboard
Dimensions
overall: 28 x 35.3 cm (11 x 13 7/8 in.)
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.12024
Art Historical Context
**Shoe Last** by Michael Fallon, created in 1938, captures the humble yet essential tool of the shoemaking trade—a wooden form used to shape footwear during crafting. Rendered in watercolor, graphite, and colored pencil on paperboard (28 x 35.3 cm), this precise illustration showcases the object's sturdy contours, grainy texture, and functional elegance, transforming an everyday utilitarian item into a study of American craftsmanship. Part of the *Index of American Design*, groundbreaking WPA Federal Art Project from 1935–1942, Fallon's work documents the nation's folk and decorative arts ami...