Doll

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-quality accuracy. These mixed-media techniques allowed artists to replicate textures, colors, and details of three-dimensional objects on a flat surface, making historical artifacts accessible to future generations. Housed in the National Gallery of Art's Index of American Design collection, this work underscores the cultural value of humble dolls as symbols of American ingenuity and domestic life, bridging art, history, and national identity in an era of economic hardship.

About the Artist

Mina Lowry · 1894–1942

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...