Whirligig
c. 1937
Medium
graphite on paperboard
Dimensions
overall: 29.3 x 23 cm (11 9/16 x 9 1/16 in.) Original IAD Object: 12 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
1943.8.16272
Art Historical Context
**Whirligig** *Joseph Stonefield, c. 1937* Graphite on paperboard, 29.3 × 23 cm (11 9/16 × 9 1/16 in.) *Index of American Design, National Gallery of Art* This delicate graphite drawing captures the whimsical charm of a classic American whirligig, a folk art toy measuring 12½ inches high, designed to spin merrily in the breeze. Created by artist Joseph Stonefield around 1937, the work showcases meticulous line work on paperboard, highlighting the object's carved wooden form, dynamic blades, and playful details that evoke rural American ingenuity from the 19th and early 20th centuries. ...