Small Ship's Billet Head
c. 1939
Medium
watercolor and graphite on paperboard
Dimensions
overall: 28.1 x 37.9 cm (11 1/16 x 14 15/16 in.)
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.9820
Art Historical Context
Welcome to the National Gallery of Art's showcase of American design! *Small Ship's Billet Head*, created around 1939 by Alfred H Smith, is a delicate watercolor and graphite rendering on paperboard, measuring 28.1 x .9 cm. This captures the intricate details of a carved wooden nautical ornament—a billet head, typically a smaller figure on ships, symbolizing maritime craftsmanship from America's seafaring past. As part of the Index of Design, a ambitious Federal Art Project under the Works Progress Administration (WPA) during the Great Depression, Smith's piece exemplifies a national effort t...
About the Artist
Alfred H. Smith
Alfred H. Smith was an American artist active from around 1935 to 1953, best known for his meticulous watercolor and graphite drawings documenting American folk and decorative arts. Little is known about his early life or formal training, as biographical details remain sparsely documented beyond his contributions to federal art initiatives. During the Great Depression, Smith participated in the In...