Doll - "Emily" c. 1938

Here we see a doll called Emily, painted by Rex F. Bush, on what looks like paper. Look at the way the dress is rendered! The gridwork of tiny lines creates this amazing illusion of form. I wonder about Rex painting this doll. Was he fascinated by the way light catches on the fabric, or maybe he was more interested in Emily's stoic presence? The blue lines add a strange, electric jolt, like she's plugged into some hidden power source. Maybe Rex saw her as more than just a plaything, but a kind of guardian or muse. You know, painting is like having a conversation across time. Rex's Emily reminds me of the work of other artists who found beauty and intrigue in the everyday. I see a bit of Joseph Cornell's boxed assemblages here, a little of Christina Ramberg’s uncanny figures. It's all connected, isn't it?