Doll

Art Historical Context

In the heart of the Great Depression, artist Raoul Du Bois captured the whimsical charm of an American folk doll in this vibrant watercolor, graphite, and gouache rendering, created around 1936. Titled *Doll*, the work measures 28.8 x 22.9 cm and depicts an original 19½-inch-high object, meticulously documented as part of the Index of American Design (IAD)—a groundbreaking WPA Federal Art Project from 1935 to 1942. This initiative employed hundreds of artists to celebrate America's everyday design heritage, from quilts to whirligigs, preserving cultural treasures through precise, colorful illustrations. Du Bois, known for his fluid yet detailed style, masterfully layered gouache for rich textures and watercolor for subtle shading, while graphite added fine lines to evoke the doll's carved wooden form and hand-painted features. Such dolls, often crafted by artisans in the 19th century, embodied folk traditions, serving as cherished playthings and symbols of domestic creativity amid industrial change. Today, housed in the National Gallery of Art, this piece highlights the IAD's enduring legacy: transforming humble objects into national icons, reminding us of the artistry in America's vernacular past. (198 words)