Wooden Dipper
c. 1938
Medium
watercolor, pen and ink, and graphite on paperboard
Dimensions
overall: 27.3 x 26 cm (10 3/4 x 10 1/4 in.)
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.16587
Art Historical Context
"Wooden Dipper," created around 1938 by artist Elmer Weise, captures the simple elegance of an everyday American folk object in exquisite detail. This intimate rendering depicts a humble wooden dipper—a utilitarian tool used for scooping liquids—elevated through Weise's meticulous hand. Measuring just 27.3 x 26 cm, the work on paperboard invites viewers to appreciate the craftsmanship of vernacular design, from the smooth curve of its handle to the subtle grain of the wood. As part of the Index of American Design, a groundbreaking WPA Federal Art Project from the 1930s and 1940s, this piece s...
About the Artist
Elmer Weise
Elmer Weise was an American artist active around 1935, best known for his meticulous contributions to the Index of American Design, a New Deal-era Federal Art Project under the Works Progress Administration (WPA). Launched in 1935, this ambitious initiative employed artists across the United States to document the nation's folk art, crafts, and utilitarian objects through precise watercolor render...