Horse
c. 1937
Medium
watercolor, graphite, and pen and ink on paperboard
Dimensions
overall: 22.7 x 27.1 cm (8 15/16 x 10 11/16 in.) Original IAD Object: 21 3/4" long; 14" high
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.17273
Art Historical Context
**Horse** by Mina Lowry, created around 1937, is a captivating watercolor, graphite, and pen-and-ink rendering on paperboard, measuring 22.7 x 27.1 cm. This delicate yet precise depiction captures the form of an original American folk art object—a wooden horse standing 21¾ inches long and 14 inches high—showcasing the charm of vernacular craftsmanship from the early 20th century. As part of the *Index of American Design* (IAD), a Federal Art Project under the Works Progress Administration (WPA) from 1935 to 1942, Lowry's work documents everyday American decorative arts during the Great Depres...
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...