Wagon Jack
1935/1942
Medium
watercolor, graphite, colored pencil, and gouache on paperboard
Dimensions
overall: 35.2 x 24.3 cm (13 7/8 x 9 9/16 in.)
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.11922
Art Historical Context
**Wagon Jack** by Samuel W. Ford, between 1935 and1942, is a mixed-media rendering on paperboard, blending watercolor, graphite, colored pencil, and gouache. 35.2 x 24.3 cm, this work captures the sturdy form of a traditional "wagon jack"—a clever wooden tool used by American farmers and wagon makers to lift heavy vehicles for repairs. Ford's precise lines and rich colors highlight the object's folk craftsmanship, from its carved handle to its mechanical ratchet, evoking the ingenuity of everyday rural life. As part of the *Index of American Design*, a landmark WPA Federal Art Project from th...