Weather Vane
1935/1942
Medium
watercolor and graphite on paper
Dimensions
overall: 26 x 33.6 cm (10 1/4 x 13 1/4 in.)
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.16269
Art Historical Context
Behold the delicate yet precise rendering of *Weather Vane* by Mildred E. Bent, between 1935 and 1942. This watercolor graphite work on paper, measuring 10¼ × 13¼ inches, the functional elegance of an American folk art object with meticulous detail. Bent's skillful use of translucent watercolors layered over graphite underdrawings brings out the weather vane's sculptural form, textures, and patina, transforming a utilitarian item into a celebrated artifact. As part of the Index of American Design—a groundbreaking WPA Federal Art Project during the Great Depression—this piece exemplifies a nat...
About the Artist
Mildred E. Bent
Mildred E. Bent remains one of the more elusive figures in early twentieth-century American art, her biographical details largely undocumented in the historical record. She appears to have worked within the traditions of her era, producing a body of work substantial enough to leave a meaningful impression in the collections that have preserved her name, even as the personal circumstances of her tr...