Toy Coach and Two Horses

Art Historical Context

**Toy Coach and Two Horses***Raoul Du Bois, c. 1936* Watercolor, graphite, andache on paper, 22.7 x 29.1 cm (8 15/16 x 11 7/16 in.) *Index of American Design, National of Art* Step into the whimsical world of American folk toys with Raoul Du Bois's vibrant rendering of a *Toy and Two Horses*. Created around 1936, this delicate work on paper captures a charming 18-inch-long wooden toy, standing 4¾ inches high, complete with a horse-drawn carriage that evokes the playful ingenuity of early American craftsmanship. Du Bois, a skilled illustrator, employed watercolor for luminous color washes, graphite for precise lines, and gouache for opaque highlights, blending techniques to achieve a lifelike yet artistic fidelity. As part of the Index of American Design—a groundbreaking WPA Federal Art Project during the Great Depression—this piece documents everyday objects of cultural heritage, preserving the spirit of vernacular American design. Launched in 1935, the Index commissioned artists like Du Bois to record folk arts at risk of vanishing, fostering national pride amid economic hardship. Here, the toy coach symbolizes childhood joys and the resourcefulness of makers who turned humble materials into miniature marvels, offering visitors a window into pre-industrial playthings that bridged utility and fantasy.