Rattle
1935/1942
Medium
watercolor and graphite on paper
Dimensions
overall: 22.3 x 30.2 cm (8 3/4 x 11 7/8 in.) Original IAD Object: 6 1/8" long
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.15709
Art Historical Context
**Rattle**, a captivating watercolor and graphite rendering by artist Michael Fenga, dates to 1935/1942 and measures 22.3 x 30.2 cm. Created as part of the Index of American Design (IAD), this work meticulously documents a folk art rattle originally measuring just 6 1/8 inches long. Housed in the National Gallery of Art's CG-W department, it exemplifies the IAD's mission to celebrate everyday American craftsmanship through precise, colorful depictions. During the Great Depression, the IAD was a flagship project of the Works Progress Administration (WPA), employing artists to record the nation...
About the Artist
Michael Fenga
**Michael Fenga (1913–2006)** was an American artist best known for his contributions to the Index of American Design, a Federal Art Project initiative under the Works Progress Administration (WPA) during the Great Depression. Born around 1913, likely in New York given the project's regional focus, Fenga's early life and artistic training remain sparsely documented, with no records of specific tea...