Eagle

Art Historical Context

Behold the majestic *Eagle* by Betty Fuerst, captivating watercolor, graphite, and colored pencil on paperboard, created 1935 and 1942. Measuring 34.6 x 44.5 cm, this work is a gem from the Index of American Design, a groundbreaking WPA Federal Art Project initiative during the Great Depression. like Fuerst meticulously documented everyday American folk art, crafts, and design motifs to preserve the nation's cultural heritage amid economic hardship. Fuerst's piece exemplifies the project's goal of hyper-realistic reproduction, blending fluid watercolor washes for vibrant feathers and textures with precise graphite outlines and colored pencil highlights. This mixed-media approach on sturdy paperboard captured the eagle's bold symbolism—evoking American patriotism and freedom—in extraordinary detail, likely drawn from a historical object like a weather vane or carved sign. Housed in the National Gallery of Art's CG-W department, *Eagle* highlights the artistic talent mobilized by New Deal programs, blending documentation with artistry. It invites visitors to appreciate how ordinary designs embodied the American spirit, bridging past craftsmanship with modern appreciation.

About the Artist

Betty Fuerst · 1905–1984

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...