Statuette of a Dog
c. 1938
Medium
watercolor and graphite on paper
Dimensions
overall: 28.6 x 21.8 cm (11 1/4 x 8 9/16 in.) Original IAD Object: 4 5/8" high; 4 1/4" long; 2 1/8" wide
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.8283
Art Historical Context
Nestled within the National Gallery of Art Index of American Design collection, *Statuette of a Dog* Yolande Delasser (c. 1938) is a captivating watercolor and graphite rendering on paper, measuring 28.6 x 21.8 cm. Created as part of the Federal Art during the Great Depression, the Index commissioned artists to meticulously document America's folk art and decorative objects. This precise depiction captures a charming three-dimensional statuette—originally 4 5/8 inches high, 4 1/4 inches long, and 2 1/8 inches wide—showcasing everyday craftsmanship that might otherwise fade from view. Delasser...
About the Artist
Yolande Delasser
Yolande Delasser was an American artist active during the mid-1930s, best known for her meticulous contributions to the Index of American Design, a Federal Art Project under the Works Progress Administration (WPA). Amid the Great Depression, this ambitious New Deal initiative commissioned artists to document America's rich heritage of folk art and utilitarian objects through precise watercolor ren...