Decoy Duck
c. 1938
Medium
watercolor, graphite, and colored pencil on paperboard
Dimensions
overall: 23.5 x 31.9 cm (9 1/4 x 12 9/16 in.)
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.9620
Art Historical Context
Rose Campbell-Gerke'sDecoy Duck* (c. 1938) is a captivating rendering from the Index of American Design, a WPA Federal Art Project initiative (1935–1942) that documented America's rich folk art heritage during the Great Depression. As one of over 18,000 watercolor index sheets created by skilled artists nationwide, this work preserves the ingenuity of vernacular objects, celebrating everyday American craftsmanship. Rendered in watercolor, graphite, and colored pencil on paperboard (23.5 x 31.9 cm), the piece meticulously captures a wooden duck decoy's lifelike form, glossy feathers, and subtl...
About the Artist
Rose Campbell-Gerke
Rose Campbell-Gerke (born 1882) was a California-born American artist who worked as a watercolorist for the Index of American Design, the New Deal-era federal project that systematically documented American folk and decorative arts. The National Gallery of Art holds sixty-six works by Campbell-Gerke in its collection, making her one of the more prolific individual contributors to the Index. Her bo...