Running Horse Weather Vane
c. 1940
Medium
watercolor and graphite on paperboard
Dimensions
overall: 29.3 x 40.7 cm (11 9/16 x 16 in.) Original IAD Object: 36" long
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.16679
Art Historical Context
Behold the *Running Horse Weather Vane a vibrant watercolor and graphite rendering by artist Gertrude Koch, created around 1940. This detailed depiction captures a dynamic folk art weather vane, originally 36 inches long, showcasing a galloping horse in mid-stride against a weathered, patinated surface. Measuring 29.3 x 40.7 cm overall, Koch's work on paperboard preserves the vane's sculptural form, intricate detailing, and lively motion, evoking the spirit of early American craftsmanship. As part of the Index of American Design—a Federal Art Project under the Works Progress Administration (W...
About the Artist
Gertrude Koch
Gertrude Koch was an American artist active around 1935, best known for her meticulous contributions to the Index of American Design, a landmark Federal Art Project under the Works Progress Administration (WPA). Launched in 1935, this initiative employed artists across the United States to create precise watercolor renderings of everyday folk art objects, preserving a visual record of America's ve...