Decoy
c. 1938
Medium
watercolor and graphite on paperboard
Dimensions
overall: 28 x 36.9 cm (11 x 14 1/2 in.)
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.9636
Art Historical Context
**Decoy** by Roberta Spicer, created around 1938, is a meticulous watercolor and graphite rendering on paperboard, measuring 28 x 36.9 cm. This intimate-scale work captures the essence of an American folk art object—a hunting decoy— Spicer's skilled hand, blending soft watercolor washes for texture and precise graphite lines for detail. As part of the National Gallery of's collection, it exemplifies the artist's ability to document everyday designs with artistic flair. Produced under the Index of American Design (IAD), a Works Progress Administration (WPA) initiative during the Great Depressi...
About the Artist
Roberta Spicer
Roberta Spicer was an American artist active around 1935, best known for her contributions to the Index of American Design, a Works Progress Administration (WPA) Federal Art Project initiative launched during the Great Depression. This ambitious New Deal program commissioned artists across the United States to create precise watercolor renderings of historical American folk art, crafts, and everyd...