Doll Cart
c. 1937
Medium
watercolor, gouache, and graphite on paper
Dimensions
overall: 29.2 x 42.9 cm (11 1/2 x 16 7/8 in.) Original IAD Object: body: 14 2/4" long; 9 1/2" tall; tongue: 11 3/4" long
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.16818
Art Historical Context
**Doll Cart**, a vibrant watercolor, gouache, and graphite by Chris Makrenos from around 1937, captures whimsical charm of a handmade American folk toy. Measuring 29.2 x 42.9 cm, this detailed depiction shows a wooden doll cart with a body 14 1/4 inches long and 9 1/2 inches tall, complete with an 11 3/4-inch tongue for pulling. Makrenos's precise lines and rich colors bring to life the cart's simple, sturdy construction—likely a child's plaything from early 20th-century America, evoking everyday creativity in vernacular design. Created as part of the *Index of American Design* (IAD), a Works...
About the Artist
Chris Makrenos
Chris Makrenos was an American artist active in the mid-twentieth century who contributed a substantial body of work to the Index of American Design, the New Deal-era federal project that documented American folk art and decorative culture through meticulous watercolor illustration. His works are held in the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., and span a wide range of subjects drawn from ...