Dalmatian
1935/1942
Medium
watercolor and graphite on paper
Dimensions
overall: 30.6 x 40.9 cm (12 1/16 x 16 1/8 in.) Original IAD Object: 36" long
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.15587
Art Historical Context
**Dalmatian**, a captivating watercolor and graphite rendering by Betty Fuerst from 1935/1942, captures the charm of a 36-inch-long American folk art object—a lively Dalmatian figure—now housed in the National Gallery of Art. Measuring 30.6 x 40.9 cm overall, this delicate work on paper showcases Fuerst's skill in blending soft watercolor washes with precise graphite lines to evoke the dog's spotted coat, alert expression, and playful stance. Created as part of the Index of American Design (IAD), a Works Progress Administration (WPA) project during the Great Depression, the artwork documents ...
About the Artist
Betty Fuerst
Betty Fuerst (1905–1984) was an American artist best known for her meticulous watercolor renderings documenting everyday objects of American folk art and craftsmanship as part of the Index of American Design, a Federal Art Project under the Works Progress Administration (WPA) from 1935 to 1942. Active primarily during this period, Fuerst contributed dozens of precise illustrations that captured th...