Town Crier's Bell
1935/1942
Medium
watercolor, graphite, and pen and ink on paper
Dimensions
overall: 35.6 x 22.8 cm (14 x 9 in.)
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.17745
Art Historical Context
Behold the *Town Crier's Bell*, a meticulous 1935/1942 rendering by Raymond E. Noble, part of the iconic Index of American Design. WPA-era project, launched during the Great Depression, commissioned artists across the U.S. to document everyday American folk art and artifacts through vivid, precise illustrations. Noble's work captures the essence of a traditional town crier's bell—a humble yet vital tool for public announcements before modern media—preserving a slice of colonial-era life. Crafted in watercolor, graphite, and pen and ink on paper (35.6 x 22.8 cm), the piece exemplifies the Inde...