Three Decoy Ducks

Art Historical Context

**Three Decoy Ducks** by Harriette Gale created around 1937, captures the charm of three wooden hunting decoys in a vivid watercolor, graphite, and colored pencil on paperboard (50 x 39 cm). These meticulously detailed birds—likely mallards or similar species—showcase the subtle contours, painted feathers, and weathered patina of functional American folk art objects, evoking the wetlands and coastal traditions of early 20th-century hunting culture. This work is part of the *Index of American Design*, a landmark Federal Art Project under the Works Progress Administration (WPA) from 1935 to 194...