Rocking Horse

Art Historical Context

**Rocking Horse** by Harriette Gale, created around 1939, captures the whimsical charm of a classic American folk toy through delicate watercolor, graphite, andache on paperboard. 38.2 x 54.5 cm, this rendering meticulously documents an original rocking horse standing 50 inches long, Gale's skill in rendering texture and form. As part of the Index of American Design (IAD), housed in the National Gallery of's CG-W Department, it exemplifies the project's mission to celebrate everyday American craftsmanship. The IAD, a Works Progress Administration (WPA) initiative during the Great Depression, employed artists like Gale to produce accurate, colorful plates of vernacular objects—from quilts to toys—preserving cultural heritage amid economic hardship. This watercolor highlights the playful ingenuity of early American playthings, often hand-carved from wood, evoking nostalgia for simpler times. Gale's mixed-media technique blends graphite's precision for outlines with the vibrancy of watercolor and gouache for depth and shine, making the horse's curves and details leap off the page. A delightful window into 1930s folk art documentation, it invites visitors to appreciate how ordinary objects embody national identity. (198 words)