Decoy
c. 1942
Medium
watercolor with white heightening over graphite on paperboard
Dimensions
overall: 35.7 x 40.9 cm (14 1/16 x 16 1/8 in.)
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.9640
Art Historical Context
"Decoy," created around 1942 by artist Hester Duany, is meticulous watercolor rendering that captures the charm of an American folk art object—a carved wooden hunting decoy, used by waterfowl hunters along the coasts or wetlands. Part of the National Gallery of Art's esteemed Index of American Design collection, this piece exemplifies the everyday ingenuity of American craftsmen, transforming simple materials into functional yet artistic lures that blend seamlessly with nature. Duany's work emerged from the Index of American Design, a groundbreaking Federal Art Project under the Works Progres...
About the Artist
Hester Duany
Hester Duany (1891–1964) was an American artist best known for her meticulous renderings of traditional American folk art objects as part of the Index of American Design, a Federal Art Project under the Works Progress Administration (WPA) from 1935 to 1942. Working out of the New York City Project, Duany contributed dozens of watercolor and graphite drawings on paperboard that captured the intrica...