Trivet
c. 1939
Medium
graphite on paperboard
Dimensions
overall: 30.7 x 40.2 cm (12 1/16 x 15 13/16 in.) Original IAD Object: 6 1/2" in diameter; 2 3/4" high
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.15865
Art Historical Context
In the meticulous graphite drawing *Trivet*, created around 1939 by artist Mildred Ford, visitors encounter a precise rendering of a humble yet essential household object from America's folk art tradition. Measuring 30.7 x 40.2 cm overall, this work on paperboard captures the trivet's modest form—originally 6 1/2 inches in diameter 2 3/4 inches high—as a symbol of everyday ingenuity, likely used to protect surfaces from hot cookware. Ford's detailed shading and lines highlight the object's functional curves and textures, elevating it to an artistic study. This piece is part of the *Index of A...
About the Artist
Mildred Ford
Mildred Ford (1895–1988) was an American artist whose career is indelibly linked to the Index of American Design, a monumental Works Progress Administration (WPA) project launched in the 1930s to document the nation's rich heritage of decorative arts and folk objects. Through her precise renderings, Ford helped preserve intricate details of everyday artifacts—from toleware utensils to Pennsylvania...