Weather Vane

Art Historical Context

Behold the charming *Weather V* (c. 1937) H. Langden Brown, a delicate watercolor,, and gouache rendering on paperboard, measuring31.5 x 30. This artwork captures whimsical form of a small-scale—6 5/8 high and 7 1/2 wide—likely a American folk weather vane, those wind sentinels perched atop and steeples, often adorned withosters or directional arrows to the weather. Created as of the Index of American (IAD), a groundbreaking Federal Project under the Works Progress during the Great Depression, Brown's piece exemplifies national effort to document and everyday American craftsmanship. From1935 to 1942, artists like Brown meticulously rendered folk art objects, preserving their details for posterity and fostering cultural pride amid economic hardship. Housed in the National Gallery of Art's CG-W department, it highlights the IAD's vast archive of over 15,000 works. The mixed-media technique—watercolor for luminous color, graphite for precise lines, and gouache for opaque highlights—brings the vane's sculptural qualities to life on a flat surface, bridging three-dimensional folk tradition with fine art. A delightful window into America's vernacular heritage, this piece invites us to appreciate the ingenuity of ordinary objects turned artistic treasures.

About the Artist

H. Langden Brown · 1879–1960

H. Langden Brown (1879–1960) was an American artist best known for his contributions to the Index of American Design, a Federal Art Project under the Works Progress Administration (WPA) from 1935 to 1942. This ambitious initiative commissioned artists across the United States to create meticulous watercolor renderings of everyday objects, tools, vehicles, and crafts that embodied the nation's folk...