Toy Horse
1935/1942
Medium
watercolor and graphite on paperboard
Dimensions
overall: 36.8 x 46.2 cm (14 1/2 x 18 3/16 in.) Original IAD Object: 12 1/2" long; 12 1/4" high
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.15590
Art Historical Context
**Toy Horse**, a captivating watercolor and graphite rendering by artist Mina Lowry, dates to the pivotal years of 1935–1942. Created as part of the Index of American Design (IAD), a groundbreaking Federal Art Project under the Works Progress Administration (WPA), this work meticulously documents a charming folk art toy horse measuring about 12½ inches long and 12¼ inches high. Lowry's precise depiction captures the whimsical spirit of early American playthings, likely a wooden child's toy reflecting vernacular craftsmanship from the 19th or early 20th century. The medium—watercolor and graph...
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...