I n the late 1930s, the Philadelphia-born Wharton Esherick (1887-1970), a struggling artist, bought two barrels of hammer handles at a local auction. For years, the painter, who’d trained at ...

Open Feb. 17 through May 18, The Chazen Museum of Art’s exhibit, “The Crafted World of Wharton Esherick,” showcased the work of American artist and designer Wharton Esherick, a leading figure of the ...