Pa. German Coffee Pot
c. 1936
Frances Lichten used a hyper-realistic style to capture this Pennsylvania German coffee pot, likely as part of the Index of American Design—a New Deal project that paid artists to document folk art during the Great Depression. The pot features a charming, slightly wonky bird (possibly a peacock) and floral motifs, showcasing the whimsical craftsmanship of early American settlers. By rendering the metallic sheen and dents so precisely, Lichten turned a humble kitchen object into a permanent historical record, essentially saving it from being forgotten or melted down for scrap.
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