Miner's Ore Bucket 1939

Max Fernekes made this watercolor of a "Miner's Ore Bucket" in 1939. Fernekes' choice of subject matter and medium invites us to consider the social and economic context of art during the Great Depression. This image creates meaning through its detailed representation of a common, utilitarian object. The choice to depict a miner's bucket speaks to the importance of industry and labor in American society during a time of economic hardship. Fernekes' artistic interests were formed by his involvement in the Index of American Design, a WPA program which employed artists to record and preserve examples of American material culture. In the 1930s, the WPA aimed to provide employment for artists and to promote American values during a time of crisis. By depicting everyday objects like this ore bucket, artists like Fernekes contributed to a sense of national identity and celebrated the dignity of labor. Historians of American art often turn to archives of the WPA to better understand the politics of art in this era. The meaning of this image is contingent on the social and institutional context in which it was created.