Top
c. 1936
Medium
watercolor, graphite, and gouache on paper
Dimensions
overall: 28.6 x 22.2 cm (11 1/4 x 8 3/4 in.) Original IAD Object: 5" high
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.13990
Art Historical Context
**Top** by Mina Lowry (c. 1936) is a delicate rendering in watercolor, graphite, and gouache on paper, measuring 28.6 x 22.2 cm. Created as part of the Index of American Design (IAD), a landmark WPA Federal Art Project from the Great Depression era (1935–1942), this work meticulously documents a 5-inch-high American design object—a classic spinning top. Lowry, one of over 200 artists involved in the IAD, captured its form with precision, blending fine graphite outlines with vibrant gouache and translucent watercolor washes to highlight textures and colors. The IAD aimed to celebrate and prese...
About the Artist
Mina Lowry
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...