Lady Marionette
c. 1937
Medium
watercolor, graphite, and gouache on paperboard
Dimensions
overall: 50.9 x 38.1 cm (20 1/16 x 15 in.) Original IAD Object: 16 1/2" high
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.15646
Art Historical Context
**Lady Marionette** by James McLellan, around 1937, captures the delicate charm of an American folk art puppet in watercolor, graphite, and gou on paperboard. Measuring 50.9 x 38.1 cm (20 1/16 x 15 in.), this rendering showcases a marionette figure with poised elegance—likely a whimsical "lady" designed for theatrical performance or display. McLellan's precise draftsmanship brings out the intricate details of her carved wooden form, strings, and costume, evoking the playful spirit of early 20th-century American craft traditions. As part of the *Index of American Design* (IAD), a groundbreakin...