Unicorn
c. 1937
Medium
watercolor and graphite on paper
Dimensions
overall: 40.6 x 30.7 cm (16 x 12 1/16 in.) Original IAD Object: about 8' tall
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.8236
Art Historical Context
Behold the enchanting *Unicorn* by Alice Stearns, captivating watercolor and graphite rendering created around 1937. Measuring 40.6 x 30.7 cm, this delicate work on paper meticulously captures an original folk art object standing about 8 feet talllikely a whimsical carved sculpture evoking the mythical creature's grace and mystery. Stearns' precise lines and vibrant washes bring the unicorn's form to life, blending fantasy with everyday American craftsmanship. This piece is a gem from the Index of American Design (IAD), a landmark WPA Federal Art Project from the Great Depression era (1935–19...
About the Artist
Alice Stearns
Alice Stearns was an American artist active around 1935, renowned for her precise watercolor and gouache renderings of everyday American folk art objects. Working under the Works Progress Administration's (WPA) Federal Art Project, she contributed to the Index of American Design, a Depression-era initiative launched in 1935 to document the nation's crafts, decorative arts, and vernacular designs b...