Eagle Bit
Medium
watercolor, pen and ink, and gouache on paper
Dimensions
overall: 34.8 x 27.7 cm (13 11/16 x 10 7/8 in.)
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.14630
Art Historical Context
**Eagle Bit**, created around 1936 by artists Eva Fox and Harry Mannaddell, is a mixed-media work on paper using watercolor, pen and ink, and gouache Measuring 34.8 x 27.7 cm, this piece meticulously renders a dynamic eagle motif—a quintessential symbol in American folk art, evoking patriotism and craftsmanship from the nation's decorative traditions. As part of the *Index of American Design*, a Federal Art Project under the Works Progress Administration (W) during the Great Depression the artwork documents everyday objects of American material culture. Launched in 1935, the Index employed hu...