Scales c. 1938

Harry Grossen made this watercolor called Scales sometime in the 20th century. Grossen was an American artist who documented early American tools and utilitarian objects, reminding us of the value and beauty in the functional items of everyday life. This image creates meaning through its careful rendering of the metal's texture and form. As an object, the scale speaks to the history of commerce and trade in the United States. It highlights the transition from agrarian to industrial economies, reflecting a culture increasingly reliant on precise measurement and standardization. The Index of American Design, under which Grossen worked, was a project of the Works Progress Administration during the New Deal era, and aimed to document and preserve the nation's design heritage. It’s a reminder of the role that government institutions can play in shaping artistic production, and how art serves as a mirror reflecting our social and economic transformations. The work of the historian is to look into archives, study social and economic histories, and investigate institutional records to truly understand art’s function in society.