Mechanical Toy
c. 1941
Medium
watercolor and graphite on paperboard
Dimensions
overall: 36.9 x 29.5 cm (14 1/2 x 11 5/8 in.) Original IAD Object: 5 7/8" high
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.15667
Art Historical Context
Isidore Danziger's *Mechanical Toy* (c. 1941) is a captivating watercolor and graphite rendering on paperboard, measuring 36.9 x 29.5 cm. Created as part of the Index of American Design (IAD), this work meticulously documents a small mechanical toy standing just 5 7/8 inches high. Danziger, a skilled artist employed by the Federal Art Project, employed precise graphite lines for intricate details and vibrant watercolors to capture the toy's playful mechanics and folk charm, evoking the whimsy of early American craftsmanship. The IAD, launched in 1935 under the Works Progress Administration (W...