Dancing Doll

Art Historical Context

**Dancing Doll** by Selma Sandler, created around 1940, captures the whimsical charm of an American folk art toy in detail. This watercolor, graphite, and pen-and-ink rendering on paperboard measures 36.4 x 27.5 cm and documents delicate dancing doll standing just 10 5/8 inches high. Sandler's precise lines and vibrant washes bring to life the figure's playful form, evoking the handmade crafts of early American artisans who crafted such toys from wood, fabric, and found materials for children’s delight. As part of the Index of American Design (IAD), a Federal Art Project under the Works Progress Administration during the Great Depression, this work exemplifies a national effort to celebrate and preserve everyday American design. From 1935 to 1942, artists like Sandler produced over 15,000 renderings of folk art, tools, and decorative objects, ensuring their legacy amid economic hardship. The mixed-media technique—combining ink for sharp contours, graphite for subtle shading, and watercolor for lively color—mirrors the IAD's goal of faithful, museum-quality documentation. Housed in the National Gallery of Art, **Dancing Doll** highlights the cultural vibrancy of vernacular American art, reminding us how simple playthings embodied creativity and resilience. Visitors can appreciate how Sandler's skilled hand immortalizes a slice of joyful, bygone craftsmanship.

About the Artist

Selma Sandler · 1917–2005

Selma Sandler (1917–2005) was an American artist whose meticulous watercolor renderings played a vital role in documenting the nation's folk art heritage during the Great Depression. Born on March 18, 1917, she contributed to the Index of American Design, a Works Progress Administration (WPA) project under the Federal Art Project that ran from 1935 to 1942. This ambitious endeavor employed artists...