Toy Rocking Horse
c. 1936
Medium
watercolor, graphite, and gouache on paperboard
Dimensions
overall: 22.9 x 30.1 cm (9 x 11 7/8 in.) Original IAD Object: 43" long; 7 1/2" wide
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.15629
Art Historical Context
Behold the charming *Toy Rocking Horse*, 1936 watercolor, graphite, and gouache by John Fisk, part of the National Gallery of Art Index of American Design collection. Measuring 22.9 x 30.1 cm, this work on paperboard captures whimsical form of a traditional American folk toy—originally 43 inches long and7½ inches wide—evoking childhood joys from bygone eras. Created during the Great Depression as part of the Federal Art Project under the Works Progress Administration (WPA), the Index of American Design (1935–1942) commissioned artists like Fisk to document everyday American crafts through pre...
About the Artist
John Fisk
John Fisk is an artist about whom verified biographical information is limited in the major art historical literature. No confirmed dates of birth or death have been established, and details regarding nationality, training, and primary period of activity remain undocumented in readily available scholarly sources. Works attributed to John Fisk have entered museum collections, suggesting a level of...