Figurehead

Art Historical Context

Behold the striking *Figurehead* by Frances Cohen, created around 1938 as part of the Index of American Design. This watercolor, graphite, and pen-and-ink rendering on paper (42.1 x 30.7 cm) captures the bold spirit of a traditional ship's figurehead—a carved wooden emblem that once adorned the prow of American vessels, symbolizing protection and national pride during the age of sail. Cohen, a talented artist in the Federal Art of the Works Progress Administration (WPA), to this ambitious New Deal-era initiative launched in 1935. The Index aimed to document and celebrate everyday American folk art and design through precise, colorful illustrations, preserving cultural treasures amid the Great Depression. Her masterful use of layered media—vibrant watercolors for lifelike hues, fine graphite and ink lines for intricate details—brings the figurehead's dynamic form and weathered character to life, highlighting techniques rooted in both artistic precision and historical reverence. Housed in the National Gallery of Art, this work underscores the nautical heritage of early America, where figureheads often drew from mythology, patriotism, or local lore. It's a vivid window into our shared design legacy, inviting visitors to appreciate how ordinary objects embody extraordinary stories.

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...