Wig Block
1935/1942
Medium
watercolor and graphite on paper
Dimensions
overall: 34.3 x 43.2 cm (13 1/2 x 17 in.)
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.16804
Art Historical Context
Discover the intriguing *Wig Block*, a precise watercolor and graphite rendering on paper by Mildred E., created between 1935 and 1942. Measuring 34.3 x 43.2 cm, this work captures the smooth, wooden form used by wig makers—a practical tool shaped like a human head for styling and fitting elaborate powdered wigs popular in the 18th and early 19th centuries.'s delicate brushwork brings out the block's subtle grain and contours, blending soft watercolor hues with fine graphite lines for a lifelike quality. This piece is a gem from the Index of American Design, a ambitious WPA Federal Art Projec...
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...