Dimensions: overall: 35.6 x 26.7 cm (14 x 10 1/2 in.)
Copyright: National Gallery of Art: CC0 1.0
This gun holster was made by Dana Bartlett, though we don’t know exactly when. What’s striking is that it’s a drawing, not the object itself. Bartlett was employed by the Index of American Design, a project of the Works Progress Administration during the Great Depression. The aim was to create a visual record of vernacular objects, to celebrate American ingenuity in the face of economic hardship. Notice the material that this holster would have been made of: tooled leather. This wasn’t high art, but everyday craft, of the kind being kept alive by cowboys and saddlemakers. The floral decoration speaks to a desire to beautify even the most utilitarian object. Also note the tremendous labor involved in Bartlett’s drawing. The drawing memorializes both the maker of the holster and Bartlett himself, each contributing their skills. We often separate design from fine art. But this image reminds us that every object has a history, a maker, and a context that deserves our attention.
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