Ceramic Dog
c. 1936
Medium
watercolor, graphite, and gouache on paperboard
Dimensions
overall: 22.2 x 29.2 cm (8 3/4 x 11 1/2 in.) Original IAD Object: 8 1/2" high; 9 1/2" long
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.8289
Art Historical Context
This delicate rendering of a ceramic dog figurine captures the playful spirit of American folk art through the skilled hand of Marian Curtis Foster. Created around 1936 as part of the Index of American Design, the work uses watercolor, graphite, and gouache on paperboard to faithfully document an original ceramic piece measuring about 8½ inches high and 9½ inches long. The Index, a New Deal initiative, employed artists like Foster to create precise illustrations of everyday decorative objects, preserving the nation’s material culture during the Great Depression. Foster’s technique blends tran...