Decoy
c. 1940
Medium
watercolor, graphite, and pen and ink on paperboard
Dimensions
overall: 29 x 35.8 cm (11 7/16 x 14 1/8 in.) Original IAD Object: 5 1/4" wide; 16" long; 7 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
1943.8.16963
Art Historical Context
"Decoy" by Mina, created around 1940, is a rendering of a carved wooden bird decoy, likely used by hunters to lure waterfowl. Measuring 29 x 35.8 cm, this watercolor, graphite, and pen-and-ink work on paperboard captures the graceful form—originally 5¼ inches wide, 16 inches long, 7½ inches high lifelike detail, from the subtle feathering to the poised stance. Lowry's skilled hand brings to life an everyday artifact of American folk craft, evoking the ingenuity of rural traditions. As part of the Index of American Design (IAD), a Federal Art Project under the Works Progress Administration (WP...
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...