Toy Rooster
c. 1938
Medium
watercolor and graphite on paperboard
Dimensions
overall: 21 x 26.5 cm (8 1/4 x 10 7/16 in.) Original IAD Object: 1 15/16" high; 2 7/16" wide
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.15636
Art Historical Context
**Toy Rooster** by Lillian Hunter, created around 1938, is a delicate watercolor and graphite rendering on paperboard, measuring 21 x 26.5 cm. This charming depiction captures a small wooden folk toy rooster, originally just 1 15/16 high and 2 /16 inches wide, showcasing the intricate craftsmanship of everyday American playthings from earlier eras. As part of theIndex of American Design*a groundbreaking Works Progress Administration (WPA project from 1935 to 1942—Hunter's work documents vanishing folk art traditions during the Great Depression. Hundreds of artists across the U.S. produced ove...