Doll - "Phoebe" c. 1937

Curator: This is "Doll - Phoebe", a watercolor drawing by Eugene Croe, created around 1937. My first thought? A haunting echo of childhood innocence, like a ghostly memory clinging to paper. Editor: The pose itself—slightly awkward, those dangling limbs—evokes a sense of vulnerability. Dolls, often stand-ins for ourselves, reflecting both comfort and disquiet. Curator: Right! The oversized skirt is a fascinating choice. The intense red is almost protective, yet there’s a hint of transience, as the toy becomes frail. The gray of her blouse also lends her this otherworldly air. Editor: Absolutely. That specific shade of red carries its own symbolic weight—passion, warning, perhaps even a touch of defiance. It anchors the figure, prevents her from fading completely into the background. This is echoed by that wonderful detailed little image in the corner. Why is it there I wonder? Is it a clue to where Phoebe originated? Curator: I’d like to think it's almost a diagram, like a fashion plate! Something to denote an accurate rendition. Croe probably wanted to truly capture all of the nuances and quirks. There is this kind of strange disconnect from her facial expression as well. Vacant and open at the same time. Editor: Which circles us back to that concept of the doll as a mirror. What are we projecting onto her? Longing? Loss? Perhaps something simpler—the quiet joy of imagining worlds beyond our own. Curator: Maybe. This drawing reminds me how art has a peculiar ability to both animate the inanimate, and still point us back to ourselves. What would be said of the doll's maker I wonder... perhaps they infused their creativity with these same gentle tones. Editor: An exploration of fragility, ultimately. I suppose those raw art materials will allow these feelings to shine through more prominently, rather than a finished physical item. That sketch might remind us that the image of Phoebe holds her form gently and safely in place.