Figurehead

Art Historical Context

**Figurehead** by Jerome Hoxie, created in 1938, is a captivating entry from the *Index of American Design*, monumental Federal Art Project under the Works Progress Administration (WPA Launched during the Great Depression, this initiative employed artists to meticulously document America's folk art, crafts, and decorative traditions through precise, colorful renderings. Hoxie's work preserves the spirit of maritime figureheads—ornate wooden sculptures that adorned the prows of ships, symbolizing protection, adventure, and cultural identity in early American seafaring. Rendered in watercolor, colored pencil, and graphite on paperboard (27.9 x 38 cm), the piece showcases the Index's signature technique: hyper-detailed illustrations that mimic the original object's texture and vibrancy while allowing for faithful reproduction. These mixed media lent a luminous quality to depictions of three-dimensional artifacts, making them accessible to future generations. Housed in the National Gallery of Art's CG-W Department, this artwork highlights the Index's cultural legacy—over 15,000 renderings that celebrate everyday American ingenuity. Hoxie's *Figurehead* invites us to ponder the artistry of anonymous craftsmen whose bold forms once cut through ocean waves, bridging history with our modern gaze.