Tongs
1938
Medium
watercolor and graphite on paperboard
Dimensions
overall: 45.5 x 35.7 cm (17 15/16 x 14 1/16 in.) Original IAD Object: 36" long; 7 3/4" wide
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.15236
Art Historical Context
**Tongs**, a meticulous 1938 rendering by Stanley Mazur, captures sturdy elegance of a classic American blacksmith's tool. Created as part of the Index of American Design (IAD)—a Works Progress Administration (WPA) from 1935 to 1942—this watercolor and graphite work on paperboard (45.5 x 35.7 cm) documents a functional object measuring 36 inches long and 7¾ inches wide. Mazur's precise depiction highlights the tongs' forged iron form, with riveted jaws and ergonomic handle, celebrating everyday craftsmanship from America's industrial past. The IAD aimed to preserve the nation's folk art and d...
About the Artist
Stanley Mazur
**Stanley Mazur (1903–1978)** was an American artist best known for his meticulous watercolor renderings created as part of the Index of American Design, a Works Progress Administration (WPA) initiative during the Great Depression era. This ambitious project commissioned artists across the United States to document everyday folk art objects, crafts, and tools that embodied the nation's cultural he...