Child's Bonnet c. 1937

Catherine Fowler, around the turn of the 20th century, made this watercolor and graphite drawing of a child’s bonnet. Fowler was a prolific artist, specializing in these kinds of studies of clothing. Here, she captures the texture and details of the woven fabric of the bonnet, delineating its form and structure through precise lines and soft washes of color. The ruffles and ribbon ties around the brim add a touch of elegance and femininity, emphasizing the aesthetic values placed on children's clothing during this period. While not the bonnet itself, this drawing tells us a lot about the labor involved in producing clothing at the time, often a domestic activity performed by women. Each stitch represented hours of labor, highlighting the cultural significance of needlework and dressmaking, and the skills and traditions associated with these domestic practices. Fowler elevates this craft through her depiction, challenging the divide between art and craft by immortalizing a humble object.