Wooden Decoy
c. 1937
Medium
watercolor, graphite, and colored pencil on paperboard
Dimensions
overall: 38.3 x 49.1 cm (15 1/16 x 19 5/16 in.)
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.9625
Art Historical Context
**Wooden Decoy** by Chris Makrenos, around 1937, captures the humble yet ingenious artistry of a classic American hunting tool—a hand-carved wooden duck decoy. These decoys, often meticulously painted to mimic waterfowl plumage, were essential for hunters in wetlands across the United States, blending functionality with folk craftsmanship. Makrenos's rendering preserves this vernacular tradition, highlighting the decoy's lifelike form and subtle feather details against a simple background. This artwork is part of the *Index of American Design*, a landmark WPA Federal Art Project from the 1930...
About the Artist
Chris Makrenos
Chris Makrenos was an American artist active in the mid-twentieth century who contributed a substantial body of work to the Index of American Design, the New Deal-era federal project that documented American folk art and decorative culture through meticulous watercolor illustration. His works are held in the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., and span a wide range of subjects drawn from ...