Toy Automobile

Art Historical Context

**Toy Automobile** by Wilbur M. Rice created around 1938, is a rendering from the *Index of American Design*IAD), a landmark WPA Federal Art Project. This watercolor, graphite, and gouache work on paper (22.8 x 30.6 cm) meticulously documents a charming 9-inch-long toy car, 4½ inches wide, reflecting the era's booming automotive culture and playful ingenuity in American toy-making during the Great Depression. Rice, a skilled illustrator for the IAD (1935–1942), employed precise graphite underdrawing for sharp outlines, layered with vibrant gouache and translucent watercolor to evoke the toy's glossy enamel finish and metallic sheen. This mixed-media technique allowed artists to faithfully reproduce three-dimensional objects in two dimensions, preserving folk art and design heritage that might otherwise fade. Housed in the National Gallery of Art's collection, this piece highlights how everyday American artifacts—like this whimsical automobile—embody cultural optimism and craftsmanship. It invites visitors to appreciate the IAD's role in celebrating our nation's creative legacy, bridging art history with nostalgic childhood memories.

About the Artist

Wilbur M Rice · 1909–1974

**Wilbur M. Rice (1909–1974)** was an American artist best known for his meticulous contributions to the Index of American Design, a Federal Art Project under the Works Progress Administration (WPA) during the Great Depression. Active primarily between 1935 and 1942, Rice produced detailed watercolor, gouache, and graphite renderings of everyday American folk objects, tools, toys, and crafts. Thes...