Dancing Doll
c. 1940
Medium
watercolor, graphite, and pen and ink on paperboard
Dimensions
overall: 41 x 27.4 cm (16 1/8 x 10 13/16 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
1943.8.15523
Art Historical Context
**Dancing Doll** by Selma Sandler, created around 1940, is a vibrant watercolor, graphite, and pen-and-ink rendering on paperboard, measuring 41 x 27.4 cm. This work belongs to the Index of American Design, a Federal Art Project under the Works Progress Administration (WPA) during the Great Depression. Launched in 1935, the Index commissioned artists across the U.S. to produce meticulous, full-color illustrations of everyday American folk art, crafts, and design objects—preserving cultural heritage at a time when many artifacts were at risk of loss. Sandler's depiction captures a whimsical 14...