Peacock Cabin Decoration
1935/1942
Medium
watercolor and graphite on paper
Dimensions
overall: 30.1 x 47 cm (11 7/8 x 18 1/2 in.) Original IAD Object: 96" long
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.16360
Art Historical Context
Welcome to the National Gallery of, where we celebrate American ingenuity through the *Peacock Cabin Decoration*, a vibrant watercolor and graphite rendering by Flora Merchant, created between 1935 1942. This detailed depiction captures a 96-inch-long decorative panel, likely intended for a rustic cabin interior, featuring the majestic motif of peacocks—a symbol of beauty and renewal in American folk art traditions. At 30.1 x 47 cm, Merchant's precise drawing on paper preserves the original object's elaborate patterns and colors with watercolor's luminous washes and graphite's fine lines for i...