Toddy Glass

Art Historical Context

**Toddy Glass** by Minnetta Good captures the elegance of everyday American craftsmanship from the 1930s and early 1940s. This precise 3-color lithograph on wove paper depicts a delicate drinking glass designed for toddy—a warm cocktail of spirits, hot water, sugar, and lemon—highlighting the subtle curves and functional beauty of early American glassware. At 27.8 x 17.8 cm, its intimate scale invites close inspection of intricate details like the flared rim and slender stem, evoking colonial-era hospitality traditions. Created as part of the **Index of American Design** (1935–1942), a landmark Works Progress Administration (WPA) project during the Great Depression, Good's rendering preserves vanishing folk and decorative arts. Housed in the National Gallery of Art's CG-W department, it exemplifies how hundreds of artists documented thousands of objects to celebrate America's cultural heritage and bolster national pride amid economic hardship. The lithographic technique, using three colors for depth and vibrancy on smooth wove paper, underscores the Index's commitment to accurate, accessible reproductions. Far from mere sketches, these works blend artistry with scholarship, offering museum visitors a window into the ingenuity of American design.