The American Hay Company
Robert Indiana
American, 1928–2018
1962
A Conté crayon frottage on paper in which Robert Indiana rubs and records a corporate seal—the American Hay Company—turning a logo into a textured, hand-made study of branding and image.
The image reads as a dense halo of short brown strokes that coalesce into a circular wreath and ghosted block letters, so the emblem appears simultaneously rubbed, embossed, and slightly eroded like a remembered stamp.
Positioned within early Pop art, the work elevates commercial graphic design into fine art and highlights Indiana's interest in typography, signage, and the tension between mechanical reproduction and human touch.
Medium
Conté crayon frottage on paper
Dimensions
25 1/8 x 19" (63.9 x 48.3 cm)
Classification
Department
Credit
Eugene and Clare Thaw Fund
Accession
212.1963
Palette
Art Terms
Exhibitions
