Goat
c. 1940
Medium
watercolor and graphite on paperboard
Dimensions
overall: 34.2 x 28.2 cm (13 7/16 x 11 1/8 in.) Original IAD Object: 7 5/8" high; 5 3/8" wide; 2 3/4" deep
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.8308
Art Historical Context
**Goat** by Mina Lowry (c. 1940) is a delicate watercolor and graphite rendering on paperboard, measuring 34.2 x 28.2 cm. Created as part of the Index of American Design (IAD), this work meticulously documents a charming folk art carving of a goat—originally a three-dimensional object standing just 7 5/8 inches high. Lowry's precise technique captures the sculpture's whimsical form, texture, and patina, transforming a humble craft into a celebrated artifact now housed in the National Gallery of Art. The IAD, a Works Progress Administration (WPA) project from 1935 to 1942, employed artists dur...
About the Artist
Mina Lowry
Mina Lowry (1894–1942), an American artist born in Canada, emerged as a prominent portrait painter whose career bridged traditional portraiture and the documentation of American folk art. Immigrating to Buffalo, New York, with her family around 1901, she honed her skills early on, winning first prize for modeling at the Albright Art School and studying under the esteemed Florence J. Bach. Lowry fu...