Money Bag
c. 1936
Medium
watercolor and graphite on paperboard
Dimensions
overall: 28.6 x 22.6 cm (11 1/4 x 8 7/8 in.)
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.2196
Art Historical Context
"Money Bag" is a captivating watercolor and graphite rendering by Roberta Spicer, created around 1936. Measuring 28.6 x 22.6 cm, this delicate work on paperboard captures the intricate details of a traditional American folk object—a sturdy pouch designed for safeguarding coins and valuables. Spicer's precise technique highlights the bag's textures, stitches, and form, blending soft watercolor washes with sharp graphite lines to evoke both functionality and charm. This piece is part of the Index of American Design, a WPA Federal Art Project from 1935 to 1942. During the Great Depression, over ...
About the Artist
Roberta Spicer
Roberta Spicer was an American artist active around 1935, best known for her contributions to the Index of American Design, a Works Progress Administration (WPA) Federal Art Project initiative launched during the Great Depression. This ambitious New Deal program commissioned artists across the United States to create precise watercolor renderings of historical American folk art, crafts, and everyd...