Pennsylvania German Toy Dachshund
c. 1937
Medium
watercolor, graphite, and gouache on paperboard
Dimensions
overall: 24.5 x 35.8 cm (9 5/8 x 14 1/8 in.) Original IAD Object: 21" long; 5 3/8" high
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.3802
Art Historical Context
Step into the whimsical world of Pennsylvania German folk art with Mina Lowry's *Pennsylvania German Toy Dachshund* (c. 1937). This vibrant rendering, executed in watercolor, graphite, and gouache on paperboard (24.5 x 35.8 cm), meticulously documents a handcrafted wooden toy dachshund measuring 21 inches long and 5⅜ inches high. Lowry's precise lines and bold colors bring to life the playful, elongated form typical of Pennsylvania Dutch carvings, evoking the region's rich tradition of colorful, everyday objects made by Amish and Mennonite artisans. As part of the Index of American Design—a F...
About the Artist
Mina Lowry
Mina Lowry (1894–1942), an American artist born in Canada, emerged as a prominent portrait painter whose career bridged traditional portraiture and the documentation of American folk art. Immigrating to Buffalo, New York, with her family around 1901, she honed her skills early on, winning first prize for modeling at the Albright Art School and studying under the esteemed Florence J. Bach. Lowry fu...