Bird
c. 1937
Medium
watercolor, graphite, and pen and ink on paperboard
Dimensions
overall: 22.7 x 27 cm (8 15/16 x 10 5/8 in.) Original IAD Object: 6 3/8" high; 6 7/8" long
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.17275
Art Historical Context
**Bird** by Mina Lowry created around 1937, is a watercolor, graphite, and pen-and-ink rendering on paperboard, measuring 22.7 x 27 cm. This intimate work captures the essence of a small American design—a bird figure originally about 6 3/8 inches high and 67/8 inches longthrough meticulous line work and subtle color washes that highlight its form and texture. As part of the *Index of American Design*, Works Progress Administration (WPA project from the Great Depression era (1935–1942), Lowry's piece documents everyday American folk art and craftsmanship. Hundreds of artists across the U.S. pr...
About the Artist
Mina Lowry
Mina Lowry (1894–1942), an American artist born in Canada, emerged as a prominent portrait painter whose career bridged traditional portraiture and the documentation of American folk art. Immigrating to Buffalo, New York, with her family around 1901, she honed her skills early on, winning first prize for modeling at the Albright Art School and studying under the esteemed Florence J. Bach. Lowry fu...