Pa. German Whistle
c. 1939
Medium
watercolor and graphite on paperboard
Dimensions
overall: 35.3 x 24.6 cm (13 7/8 x 9 11/16 in.) Original IAD Object: 5" long; 2" high
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.3407
Art Historical Context
**Pa. German Whistle**, a delicate watercolor and graphite rendering by Yolande Delasser around 1939, captures the charm of a traditional Pennsylvania German folk whistle measuring just 5 inches long and 2 inches high. Created on paperboard (35.3 x 24.6 cm overall), this precise depiction showcases the object's simple yet vibrant form, likely a carved wooden toy or signaling device from the Pennsylvania Dutch community. Delasser's skilled use of watercolor brings out subtle colors and textures, while graphite adds fine details, making the everyday artifact feel alive and treasured. This artwo...
About the Artist
Yolande Delasser
Yolande Delasser was an American artist active during the mid-1930s, best known for her meticulous contributions to the Index of American Design, a Federal Art Project under the Works Progress Administration (WPA). Amid the Great Depression, this ambitious New Deal initiative commissioned artists to document America's rich heritage of folk art and utilitarian objects through precise watercolor ren...