Weather Vane Finial
c. 1937
Medium
graphite on paperboard
Dimensions
overall: 28.7 x 22 cm (11 5/16 x 8 11/16 in.) Original IAD Object: 23" high; 27" wide
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.16142
Art Historical Context
Welcome to the National Gallery of Art's showcase of American folk art! *Weather Vane Finial*, a meticulous graphite drawing on paperboard Milton Grubstein (c. 1937), captures the elegant top ornament of a traditional American weather vane. 28.7 x 22, this work documents an original object standing 23 inches high and 27 inches wide—likely a functional yet decorative piece from early American craftsmanship, perched atop or homes to indicate wind direction while showcasing whimsical design. Created as part of the Index of American Design (IAD), a landmark WPA Federal Art Project from the Great ...
About the Artist
Milton Grubstein
Milton Grubstein is an artist for whom biographical documentation in the current historical record is limited. His dates of birth and death, nationality, and the particulars of his artistic training have not been firmly established in the sources presently available to scholars. The works associated with Grubstein's name suggest a degree of technical accomplishment and a sustained artistic practi...