Horse Weather Vane
c. 1939
Medium
graphite on paper
Dimensions
overall: 22.9 x 29.2 cm (9 x 11 1/2 in.)
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.17505
Art Historical Context
Welcome to the National Gallery of's showcase of American design! *Horse Weather Vane*, a precise graphite drawing by Carl Weiss around 1939, captures elegant form of a classic American folk art object. Measuring just 9 11½ inches (22.9 x 29.2 cm), this detailed study on paper highlights the silhouette of a horse in mid-stride, poised atop a traditional weather vane. Weiss's meticulous graphite technique—using layered shading and fine lines—brings out the sculptural quality and dynamic motion typical of these handcrafted metal indicators, once common on barns and homes across rural America. C...