"Sailor Jack" Whirligig
1939
Medium
watercolor, graphite, and colored pencil on paperboard
Dimensions
overall: 38.3 x 27.9 cm (15 1/16 x 11 in.) Original IAD Object: 13" high; 5 1/2" wide
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.11861
Art Historical Context
Welcome to the National Gallery of Art's showcase of American folk art! "Sailor Jack" Whirligig, a 1939 watercolor, graphite, and colored pencil by artist Frances Cohen, captures the whimsical charm of a traditional carved wooden whirligig Depicting a jaunty sailor figure—originally 13 inches high 5½ inches wide—this detailed study (38.3 x 27.9 cm overall) showcases Cohen's precise hand in preserving everyday American craftsmanship on paperboard. Created as part of the Index of American Design, a WPA Federal Art Project during the Great Depression, the artwork reflects a national effort to do...