"Jay Eye See" Driving Bit
1940
Medium
watercolor and graphite on paper
Dimensions
overall: 26.7 x 35.8 cm (10 1/2 x 14 1/8 in.) Original IAD Object: ends: 3 1/2" high; 2 1/4" wide; bit bars: 5 1/2" long; rein rings: 1 1/4" in diameter
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.9003
Art Historical Context
Visitors to the National Gallery of encounter *Jay Eye See* Driving Bit, a meticulous 1940 watercolor and rendering on paper by artist Harold Ballerd. Measuring 26.7 x 35.8 cm, this work depicts a specialized equestrian bit—its ends rising 3½ inches high and 2¼ inches wide with 5½-inch bit bars and 1¼-inch rein—designed for harness racing or driving horses. Part of the esteemed Index of American Design (AD), it captures the intricate craftsmanship of early 20th-century American horse tack with precise detail and subtle shading. Created under the Works Progress Administration's Federal Art Pro...