The image shows a broad axe with a wooden handle and a large, rust-colored metal head. The color palette is earthy, featuring browns and reds against a plain, off-white background. The wooden handle extends diagonally from the upper left to the lower right, while the metal axe head is located toward the lower right. The name "Archie Thompson" is inscribed toward the bottom right corner of the image.

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Broad Axe

Archie Thompson (American, 1886-1975)

1941

Medium: watercolor and graphite on illustration board
Classification: Index of American Design
Dimensions: sheet: 22.4 × 29.9 cm (8 13/16 × 11 3/4 in.) ; Original IAD Object: overall: 24 5/8" high; head: 11" high; 8 3/4" wide, 1 1/4" deep
Culture: American
Museum: National Gallery of Art, CG-W
Credit line: Index of American Design
Rights: Public domain (NGA Open Access, CC0), as the museum states it.
Who can see it: Teens profiles and older: its museum says too little about what it shows to place it for younger viewers. How works are placed

View at the National Gallery of Art

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