Figure
c. 1938
Medium
watercolor and graphite on paper
Dimensions
overall: 58.4 x 38.5 cm (23 x 15 3/16 in.) Original IAD Object: 25 1/2" high; 8" wide; 6" deep
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.16443
Art Historical Context
Stanley Mazur's *Figure* (c. 1938), a delicate watercolor and graphite rendering on paper, captures the essence of an American folk art object measuring 25½ inches high, 8 inches wide, and 6 inches deep. Created as part of the Index of American Design—a groundbreaking WPA Federal Art Project (1935–1942)—this work exemplifies the era's effort to document and celebrate everyday American craftsmanship amid the Great Depression. Mazur, a skilled illustrator, meticulously depicted the figure's form, likely a carved wooden sculpture or decorative piece, highlighting its naive charm and cultural root...
About the Artist
Stanley Mazur
**Stanley Mazur (1903–1978)** was an American artist best known for his meticulous watercolor renderings created as part of the Index of American Design, a Works Progress Administration (WPA) initiative during the Great Depression era. This ambitious project commissioned artists across the United States to document everyday folk art objects, crafts, and tools that embodied the nation's cultural he...