Dove
c. 1940
Medium
watercolor and graphite on paper
Dimensions
overall: 40.3 x 32 cm (15 7/8 x 12 5/8 in.) Original IAD Object: 11" high; 8" wide
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.16471
Art Historical Context
**Dove**, a delicate watercolor and graphite rendering by Franklyn Syres circa 1940, captures the graceful form of an American folk art measuring about 11 inches high and inches wide. Created on paper (40.3 x 32 cm overall), work exemplifies the meticulous draftsmanship of its era, blending soft washes of watercolor for subtle color gradations with precise graphite lines to highlight contours and textures. As part of the Index of Design (IAD), a landmark WPA Federal Art Project from the 1930s and early 1940s, Syres's piece documents everyday American craftsmanship during the Great Depression...