Whirligig
c. 1940
Medium
watercolor and graphite on paperboard
Dimensions
overall: 51 x 28.5 cm (20 1/16 x 11 1/4 in.) Original IAD Object: 18 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
1943.8.16307
Art Historical Context
**Whirligig** by Mina Lowry, created around 1940, is a delicate watercolor and graphite rendering on paperboard, measuring 51 x 28.5 cm. This artwork belongs to the Index of American Design (IAD), a landmark Federal Art Project initiative from the Works Progress Administration (WPA) during the Great Depression. Lowry, one of many skilled artists employed in the program, meticulously documented everyday objects of American folk art, preserving their details for future generations before many were lost to time or wear. Whirligigs, the subject here, are charming wind-powered folk sculptures—ofte...
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...