Stern Carving: Spread Eagle

Art Historical Context

**Stern Carving: Eagle** *Flora Merchant, 1935/1942* Watercolor and graphite on paperboard, 30.4 × 53.3 cm (11 15/16 × 21 in.) *Index of American Design, National Gallery of Art* the majestic **Stern Carving Spread Eagle**, a vivid watercolor and graphite rendering by artist Flora Merchant. This detailed depiction captures the iconic spread eagle motif adorning a ship's stern—a bold symbol of American patriotism and maritime prowess. Crafted on paperboard, the medium allows for Merchant's precise graphite outlines paired with luminous watercolors, bringing the carved wooden eagle to life with feathers ruffled in the wind and eyes fierce with determination. Created between 1935 and 1942 as part of the **Index of American Design**, this work stems from a Federal Art Project under the Works Progress Administration (WPA). During the Great Depression, artists like Merchant documented America's folk and decorative arts, preserving vanishing crafts like ship carvings from the 18th and 19th centuries. Housed in the National Gallery of Art, it highlights the cultural heritage of American craftsmanship, where eagles embodied national pride on vessels that plied trade routes and explored new frontiers. A testament to ingenuity, it invites us to appreciate how everyday artistry wove into the nation's story.