Weather Vane

Art Historical Context

**Weather Vane** *Rollington Campbell, c. 1936* Graphite on paperboard, 28.9 × 22.2 cm (11 ⅜ × 8 ¾ in.) *Index of American Design, National Gallery of Art* by artist Rollington Campbell around 1936, this graphite drawing on paperboard captures the form of a traditional American weather vane, originally measuring 24 inches high 26 inches wide. As part of the Index of American Design—a Federal Art Project under the Works Progress Administration (WPA) during the Great Depression—this work exemplifies a national effort to document and celebrate everyday American folk art and craftsmanship. From 1935 to 1942, over 15,000 such renderings by artists like Campbell preserved vanishing examples of utilitarian design, ensuring their cultural legacy for future generations. Campbell's meticulous graphite technique highlights the weather vane's functional elegance, rendering its contours, details, and dynamic poise with technical accuracy on sturdy paperboard. Weather vanes, perched atop barns and homes since colonial times, blended practicality with whimsical artistry, often featuring roosters, arrows, or ships to indicate wind direction. This drawing underscores their role in American vernacular design, bridging utility and ornamentation. Today, housed in the National Gallery of Art, it invites visitors to appreciate how ordinary objects embody our inventive spirit and regional heritage.