Small Crock

Art Historical Context

George Loughridge's *Small Crock* (c. 1938) is a delicate watercolor and graphite rendering on paper, measuring 37.6 x 30 cm. This work captures a modest earthenware vessel—standing just 6 5/16 inches high with a 4 5/8-inch top diameter and 5 3/4-inch base—likely a utilitarian crock from early American folk pottery traditions. Loughridge's precise lines and subtle washes evoke the pot's simple, functional form, highlighting its earthy textures and subtle glazes with meticulous detail. Created as part of the Index of American Design (IAD), a WPA Federal Art Project from 1935 to 1942, this piece belongs to a monumental effort by over 200 artists to document America's diverse material culture. Housed in the National Gallery of Art's collection, the IAD preserved images of everyday objects like crocks, which symbolized self-sufficient colonial and frontier life. Loughridge's contribution underscores the project's mission to celebrate vernacular design amid the Great Depression. Through watercolor's fluidity and graphite's sharpness, Loughridge bridges artistry and documentation, transforming a humble household item into a cultural artifact. Visitors today can appreciate how such crocks stored food or preserves, reflecting the ingenuity of American potters and the enduring value of folk crafts.

About the Artist

George Loughridge · 1855–present

George Loughridge 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). This ambitious New Deal initiative, running from 1935 to 1943, commissioned hundreds of artists across the United States to create meticulously detailed watercolor renderings of everyday American fol...