Doll
c. 1936
Medium
watercolor, graphite, and gouache on paper
Dimensions
overall: 29 x 23.1 cm (11 7/16 x 9 1/8 in.)
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.15429
Art Historical Context
**Doll** by Mina Lowry (c. 1936) captures the charm of an American folk doll through delicate watercolor, graphite, and gouache on paper, measuring 29 x 23.1 cm. Created as part of the Index of American Design—a monumental WPA Federal Art Project from 1935 to 1942—this rendering preserves everyday objects of American craftsmanship, highlighting regional folk traditions during the Great Depression. Lowry's precise graphite underdrawing, enriched by vibrant gouache highlights and subtle watercolor washes, exemplifies the Index's goal: to document and celebrate indigenous design with museum-qual...
About the Artist
Mina Lowry
Mina Lowry (1894–1942), an American artist born in Canada, emerged as a prominent portrait painter whose career bridged traditional portraiture and the documentation of American folk art. Immigrating to Buffalo, New York, with her family around 1901, she honed her skills early on, winning first prize for modeling at the Albright Art School and studying under the esteemed Florence J. Bach. Lowry fu...