Weather Vane
c. 1937
Medium
watercolor, graphite, and pen and ink on paperboard
Dimensions
overall: 22.6 x 28.8 cm (8 7/8 x 11 5/16 in.) Original IAD Object: 19 1/4" long; 11 1/2" high
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.16252
Art Historical Context
**Weather Vane**, a captivating rendering by artist Mina Lowry around 1937, showcases the intricate details of an American folk object through watercolor, graphite, pen and ink on paperboard. Measuring 22.6 x .8 cm, this work meticulously documents a weather vane originally 19 1/4 inches long and 1/2 inches high. Lowry's skilled use of mixed media brings out the vane's form, texture, and patina, blending fluid watercolor washes for depth with precise graphite and ink lines for sharp contours—a technique ideal for accurate reproduction. Created as part of the Index of American Design (IAD), a...
About the Artist
Mina Lowry
Mina Lowry (1894–1942), an American artist born in Canada, emerged as a prominent portrait painter whose career bridged traditional portraiture and the documentation of American folk art. Immigrating to Buffalo, New York, with her family around 1901, she honed her skills early on, winning first prize for modeling at the Albright Art School and studying under the esteemed Florence J. Bach. Lowry fu...