Spinning Wheel
1935/1942
Medium
watercolor and graphite on paperboard
Dimensions
overall: 29 x 22.9 cm (11 7/16 x 9 in.)
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.14852
Art Historical Context
**Spinning Wheel**, a meticulous rendering by artist Lorenz Rothkranz 1935/1942, captures the elegance of an everyday American craft object. Created as part of the *Index of American Design*a groundbreaking WPA Federal Art Project initiative during the Great Depression—this watercolor and graphite work on paperboard (29 x 22.9 cm) documents a traditional spinning wheel, symbolizing-era self-sufficiency and domestic industry. Rothkranz's technique blends the fluidity of watercolor for vibrant wood tones and subtle textures with graphite's precision for intricate details like the wheel's spokes...