Judge Oscar O. Death
c. 1938
Medium
watercolor, gouache, pen and ink, and graphite on paper
Dimensions
overall: 50.5 x 36.3 cm (19 7/8 x 14 5/16 in.) Original IAD Object: 20" high
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.16875
Art Historical Context
**Judge Oscar O. Death is a captivating rendering by artist James Mcellan, created around 1938 as part of the Index of American Design (IAD). This mixed-media work on paper—employing watercolor, gouache pen and ink, and graphite—meticulously documents a folk art object standing 20 inches high, a whimsical carved figure embodying American vernacular creativity. Measuring 50.5 x 36.3 cm overall, it captures the subject's quirky character with precise detail, evoking the playful spirit of early 20th-century folk traditions. The IAD, a Federal Art Project under the Works Progress Administration d...