China Headed Doll
c. 1941
Medium
watercolor and graphite on paperboard
Dimensions
overall: 49.3 x 42.1 cm (19 7/16 x 16 9/16 in.) Original IAD Object: 14" high
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.15508
Art Historical Context
Behold the delicate charm of *China Headed Doll*, watercolor and graphite rendering by artist Lelah Nelson, created around 1941. This artwork captures a quintessential 19th-century American plaything—a doll with a glossy porcelain head imported from Germany, dressed in period attire with a painted bisque face, rosy cheeks, and serene expression. At 14 inches tall, the original doll embodies the Victorian era's fascination with lifelike toys, blending craftsmanship with whimsy for children of affluent households. As part of the Index of Design (IAD), a WPA Federal Art Project from 1935–1942, N...