Whirligig
c. 1937
Medium
graphite on paperboard
Dimensions
overall: 29.7 x 22.7 cm (11 11/16 x 8 15/16 in.) Original IAD Object: 12 1/4" high
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.16275
Art Historical Context
**Whirligig** *Bernard Westmacott, c. 1937* Graphite on paperboard,29.7 × 22.7 cm (11 11/16 × 8 15/16 in.) *Index of American Design, National Gallery of Art* Bernard Westmacott's meticulous graphite drawing of a *Whirligig*, a charming rendition of a classic American folk art object standing about 12 1/4 inches high. Created around 1937, this work captures the whimsical essence of these wind-powered wooden sculptures—often carved figures with spinning arms or props, delighting gardens and porches across rural America from the 19th century onward. Westmacott's precise lines on paperboa...