Toby Figure

Art Historical Context

**Toby Figure** by Mina Lowry (c. 1940) is a vibrant rendering capturing the whimsical charm of a classic American folk art icon. Created with watercolor, graphite, pen ink on paperboard (43.4 x 29.3 cm), this drawing showcases Lowry's skill in translating three-dimensional pottery into a precise, colorful two-dimensional study. Toby figures, often molded jugs shaped like a jovial man in 18th-century attire, were beloved decorative pieces in colonial and early American homes, symbolizing hospitality and merrymaking. This artwork belongs to the *Index of American Design*, a groundbreaking WPA Federal Art Project from the 1930s and 1940s. During the Great Depression, over 200 artists like Lowry meticulously documented thousands of everyday American objects—from quilts to whirligigs—to celebrate the nation's cultural heritage and craft traditions. Lowry's use of layered media—fine ink lines for contours, graphite for shading, and watercolor for lively hues—brings the Toby's glossy glaze and expressive features to life, highlighting the Index's goal of accurate yet artistic preservation. Housed in the National Gallery of Art's Index of American Design collection, this piece invites visitors to appreciate how folk art bridged European influences with American ingenuity, offering a window into the everyday artistry that shaped our shared past.

About the Artist

Mina Lowry · 1894–1942

Mina Lowry (1894–1942), an American artist born in Canada, emerged as a prominent portrait painter whose career bridged traditional portraiture and the documentation of American folk art. Immigrating to Buffalo, New York, with her family around 1901, she honed her skills early on, winning first prize for modeling at the Albright Art School and studying under the esteemed Florence J. Bach. Lowry fu...