Wooden Indian Doll
c. 1937
Medium
watercolor, graphite, and gouache on paperboard
Dimensions
overall: 47.3 x 31.6 cm (18 5/8 x 12 7/16 in.) Original IAD Object: 24" long
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.16643
Art Historical Context
Behold the *Wooden Indian Doll*, captivating watercolor, graphite, and gouache rendering by Rex F. Bush, created around 1937. Measuring 47.3 x 31.6 cm, this detailed depiction captures a 24-inch-long folk art object—a carved wooden doll stylized as a Native American figure, emblematic of early 20th-century American vernacular craft. Bush's meticulous technique blends the transparency of watercolor for subtle shading, the precision of graphite for fine lines, and the vibrant opacity of gouache to bring the doll's painted features and attire to life on paperboard. This artwork is a gem from the...
About the Artist
Rex F. Bush
Rex F. Bush (c. 1915–2002) was an American artist best known for his meticulous contributions to the Index of American Design, a Federal Art Project initiative under the Works Progress Administration (WPA) during the Great Depression era. Active primarily from 1935 to 1942, Bush produced watercolor, gouache, graphite, and pen-and-ink renderings on paperboard that documented everyday American folk ...