Water Spout
1939
Medium
watercolor, colored pencil, and graphite on paper
Dimensions
overall: 35.5 x 26.1 cm (14 x 10 1/4 in.) Original IAD Object: none given
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.6899
Art Historical Context
"Water Spout" is a captivating rendering by Raymond E. Noble, created in 1939 as part of the Index of American Design (IAD). This watercolor, colored pencil, and work on paper measures 35.5 x 26.1 cm and is housed in the National Gallery Art. Noble, a skilled illustrator, meticulously captured the form and character of an everyday American folk object—a waterspout likely used in vernacular architecture or garden design—highlighting its functional beauty and craftsmanship. The IAD, a Federal Art Project under the Works Progress Administration (WPA) from 1935 to 1942, employed artists like Nobl...