Figurehead: Abe Lincoln

Art Historical Context

**Figurehead: Abe Lincoln** by Frances Cohen (c. 1936) captures the spirited likeness of Abraham Lincoln as a ship figurehead, rendered in watercolor and graphite on paper (50 x 39.1 cm). This detailed study showcases Cohen's precise draftsmanship, blending soft watercolor washes for depth and texture with graphite lines for sharp contours, evoking the wood-carved original's weathered patina and dynamic pose. Created as part of the *Index of American Design*—a groundbreaking WPA Federal Art Project from 1935–1942—this artwork documents America's rich folk art heritage during the Great Depression. Artists like Cohen produced over 15,000 meticulous renderings of everyday objects, from quilts to ship carvings, to celebrate and preserve national craftsmanship for future generations. Housed in the National Gallery of Art, it highlights how maritime figureheads, often bold and symbolic, adorned vessels and embodied cultural icons like Honest Abe. The piece's cultural resonance lies in its nod to Lincoln's enduring symbolism of unity and resilience, rendered with artistic fidelity that bridges 19th-century shipbuilding traditions and 20th-century preservation efforts. A testament to American ingenuity!

About the Artist

Frances Cohen · 1912–1995

**Frances Cohen** (American, born 1912) is known primarily for her meticulous watercolor and graphite illustrations documenting American folk art as part of the Index of American Design project in the late 1930s and early 1940s. Her contributions form a significant portion of the National Gallery of Art’s holdings in this area, with twenty-four works preserved in the collection. These drawings cap...