Liquor Carrier c. 1939

Amos Brinton made this watercolor drawing of a liquor carrier at an unknown date. At first glance it may seem to be simply a depiction of an object, however the cultural context of the object and the drawing itself are just as important. Brinton’s work, like that of many other artists, was commissioned by the Index of American Design, a division of the Works Progress Administration during the Great Depression. The Index sought to record and celebrate American folk art and design traditions. The Index employed artists to document objects like this liquor carrier, which might be seen as an example of rural ingenuity and craftsmanship. The drawing captures the texture and form of this object, highlighting the marks of use and the simple construction. It invites us to consider the social history of alcohol consumption in America, and the ways in which folk traditions were valued and preserved during a time of economic hardship. To understand this work more fully, one might research the history of the Index of American Design and the cultural politics of the WPA.